War of the Harts
by 80sTVlover
Summary: Someone wants the Harts property, and they won't take no for an answer.
1. Chapter 1

***The Harts***

Jennifer Hart was at home, in the study, working on an article. She was so deep in the zone, she didn't even hear the phone ringing.

Max picked up on the 4th ring, and then came and told her it was for her.

"Thanks, Max".

She picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Is this Jennifer Hart?"

"Yes, it is".

"The Jennifer Hart that's married to Jonathan Hart, the big business tycoon?"

"Yes, how can I help you?"

She was trying to recognize the man's voice, but she couldn't place it.

"It's not really how you can help me. It's more about how you can help yourself. Your husband has been a slight bit, shall we say, stubborn, in regards to a property deal we have proposed to him 5 times. Tell him to wise up, or it just might be you that pays the price".

"I beg your pardon!"

Click.

She immediately hung up and yelled for Max.

"Yes, Mrs. H.?"

"Make sure all the doors are locked. And see if you can get that number that just called here. That person just threatened me and I'm calling Jonathan".

"Yes, Mrs. H."

She quickly dialed Jonathan's number.

"Hello, Hart Industries, how can I help you?"

"Deanne, hi. It's Jennifer. I need to speak to Jonathan, please".

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Hart. He's on a conference call. I can have him call you as soon as he hangs up".

"That would be wonderful. And do me a favor-don't let anyone in his office until after he talks to me, ok? I promise you I have a good reason for that. Can you tell me who he's on the phone with?"

"Yes ma'am. He's on a conference call without about 12 other businessmen and women in regards to manufacturing parts for airplanes".

"Ok perfect. So, if you can have him call me right away, and not let anyone in to see him before he does, I would appreciate it. And I'm at home".

"Yes, Mrs. Hart".

"Thank you, so much".

She hung up just as Max was coming into the study.

"Great news, Mrs. H. Not only did I get the number, but I've been recording the calls in case my nephew calls with his picks for the track. I forgot to hit stop and well, it recorded your whole conversation".

"Wonderful. That's very helpful".

"What did Mr. H. have to say?"

"Nothing yet. He's on a conference call. He should be calling back as soon as he's finished. I'll make sure to answer the phone when it rings, and you don't have to record this one".

"Got it, Mrs. H."

She sat down and tried to get back to work, but she found it hard to concentrate. She kept hearing that man say "it just might be you that pays the price".

About 10 minutes later, the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey gorgeous. Deanne said you wanted to talk to me and sounded frantic".

"Yes, I'm so glad to hear your voice. Darling, I just got a phone call here at the house, and I'll spare you the long, boring details because Max ended up recording the call. But, long story short, the man on the phone threatened me. He said I should convince you to stop being stubborn in regards to a property deal that you've been approached about 5 times, or I just might be the one to pay the price".

"Did he say anything else?"

"No, he hung up."

"What did you do next?"

"Had Max write down the number, lock all the doors and windows, and called your office and asked Deanne to make sure nobody came into your office until I could talk to you".

"Good thinking. I tell you what, have Max bring the tape recorder to me, with you. And the number".

"Ok, we'll see you in a few".

"Actually, wait. I'm going to send the car service for you. It might not be safe to leave the house unattended".

"Got it".

"I love you".

"I love you too".

She blew him a kiss as she hung up the phone, and headed to fill Max in.

"I'm going to go freshen up, Max. I'll be right back down".

"Got it, Mrs. H."

She ran upstairs and quick as lightning, freshened up and made sure she was presentable, and then came back downstairs.

A few minutes later, the car service pulled up.

Jonathan rang the house just as they were coming through the gate.

Jennifer picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hi darling. Give the phone to Max. I'll see you in a few minutes".

"Ok".

She handed the phone to Max.

"Max, the car service driver is a guy named Travis Dennison. Ask to see his ID, and then tell me his birthday".

"Yes, Mr. H."

Just then, Travis knocked on the door.

Jennifer opened it.

"Hi, I'm here to pick up a Mrs. Jennifer Hart".

"That's me".

"Uhh, before you go, can I see some ID please?"

"Certainly".

Max looked the ID over.

"Mr. H., his birthday is June 12, 28 years ago".

"Perfect Max, thank you".

Max hung up.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Hart is just overly cautious sometimes".

Max handed the ID back to Travis and he and Jennifer got in the car.

"I'll be here when you get back, Mrs. H."

"Thanks, Max".

***Hart Industries***

The Car service pulled Jennifer up to the doors of the building, and the head of security was there to escort her.

"Thank you, Travis".

"My pleasure, Ma'am. If I may, are you a celebrity or something?"

"I'm an ordinary citizen with a very sweet and protective husband".

"Got it. Have a nice day, ma'am".

The head of security opened the door for her to the building.

"Thank you, Marshall".

"My pleasure".

He rode in the elevator with her, and then walked her all the way to the doors of Jonathan's office.

Deanne opened the door, and showed them in.

"Thank you, Marshall. Thank you, Deanne".

Jennifer immediately went to Jonathan.

He wrapped her in a big hug and gave her a kiss.

"I'm fine, I promise. Just a little frightened".

He kissed her again and then they sat down on the couch.

She pulled the tape player out of her purse.

They listened to all the calls and finally heard the last one.

"What property deal is he talking about?"

"I'm not positive. Hart Industries isn't in any talks to purchase any property. But I have been approached by a real estate agent to sell them our ranch, and I have refused every single offer".

"Good, it's not for sale."

"That's exactly what I told them".

"5 times?"

"Yes. And the last time, I told the realtor that he should give it up, I would never sell the ranch".

"How did he take it?"

"Not well. He cussed me, told me I wasn't going to ruin his plans and hung up".

Jonathan reached over and buzzed Deanne.

"Yes, Mr. Hart?"

"Please send Stanley to my office".

"Yes, Mr. Hart".

"Darling, what are you thinking?"

"Long term-keeping you by my side every minute of the day. Short term-I'm going to have Stanley trace the number".

"Jonathan, I get that you want to protect me. And I love that you do. It's one of my favorite things about you, honest. But keeping me by your side 24 hours a day isn't going to be enjoyable for either of us".

"What if we make it enjoyable?"

"What are you suggesting?"

"Well, in the first phone call from the realtor, he asked me if we ever thought about selling it. And I said no. Conversation ended pretty quick after that. But in the second phone call, he asked me if we ever used the ranch and told me that he would pay me top dollar for it, so that we could buy something similar closer to home. So, what if I put Stanley in charge, and you and I go spend a month or so, out at the ranch? You can bring your work, I can bring some projects I want to dive into, and we can spend our days riding horses, or laying in the hammock".

"Do you think whomever this is has been watching the ranch and knows if we are there or not?"

"I think it's a high possibility. And I think once Stanley traces the number, I can have my legal team send them a cease and desist. But you and I do have an anniversary coming up, so what if we spend it at the ranch?"

"I'm game if you are".

There was a soft knock on the door just then.

"You wanted to see me, Mr. Hart?"

"Yes, Stanley. Come on in".

He turned to Jennifer.

"Darling, do you have that number?"

"Yes, it's right here".

He handed it to Stanley.

"Can you trace this number, please? I want to know everything that you can find out about this person, as soon as you can find it out, please".

"Yes, sir."

"Thank you, Stanley".

Stanley left them alone in the office.

"Darling, in light of the fact that Max was recording the phone calls, I think you and I should keep our….special….calls strictly to the personal bedroom number".

"Not a bad idea. Why is he recording our calls?"

"He said his nephew is calling with his numbers for the track, and he wanted a backup in case he forgot them".

"Got it. Darling, we already keep our special calls to the bedroom line".

"Most of the time. The last two were on the main line".

"Oh. Yeah".

"I love our special calls".

"Me too".

He gave her a few kisses.

"Jonathan…if I'm being honest, I'm more than a little frightened about this".

"I know, darling. Me too. But I promise you, I'll hire you a 100 security guards to surround you at all times, if that's what it takes. I won't let anything happen to you, I swear it".

He wrapped his arms around her and held her close for a few minutes.

Stanley came back a few minutes later.

"Mr. Hart, I traced this number. It belongs to a payphone on the corner of 5th and Wilshire. I traced a few calls, and they are all random, sir. No pattern at all, no repeating numbers. The call to your home was the shortest one in weeks".

"Thank you, Stanley. You can abandon that task. And while you're in here, I'm putting you in charge for the next month, to start. Jennifer and I are going to take an extended sabbatical".

"Thank you, Mr. Hart. Enjoy your trip".

"Thank you. I won't be totally out of the loop, I'll call and check in. But I want you to handle things the way you see fit, and if you get any calls or paperwork about Jennifer and I selling any of our property, or about Hart Industries selling any property, don't sell it. Table it till I return".

"Yes, Mr. Hart".

Jonathan gathered a few things, and then he and Jennifer headed home, hand in hand the whole way.

***Willow Pond***

Jonathan pulled them up in front of the house, and parked. He and Jennifer went inside and immediately went upstairs to pack.

"Max, we are going to the ranch for a month. Might be there longer. Great idea you had on recording the calls. Keep it up".

"Thanks, Mr. H."

He handed him the tape recorder.

"Do you want to come with us, Max?"

"Not just yet. With you two's gone, I can give this place a good deep clean".

"Oh, great idea".

They were packed in just over an hour.

They loaded the car up, and Jennifer quickly made a list of what they would need to purchase for the month.

"Ok, Max, we are heading out. We'll be in touch".

"Safe travels, you two".

"Thanks, Max".

They had an easy drive, and only had to stop a few times. 5 hours later, they arrived at their ranch.

It was too dark to see if everything was ok, so they agreed to check out the inside and then survey the ranch in the morning.

Jennifer put the groceries away while Jonathan carried their luggage in and checked out the house.

"Darling, don't forget-we have the freezer in the carport we can use as well".

"Yes, we do. Great idea".

The ranch hands had the duty of collecting the mail that sporadically came and dropping it through the slot in the front door. Jonathan went and collected it and started going through it.

"Darling, we have a notice about ordering meat in bulk."

"Oh? Are the prices good?"

"Yeah, they are actually. They are very reasonable. We can get a ½ of a cow, cut into strip steaks, and 6 whole chickens cut into breasts and tenders and thighs, as well as some fresh pork and fresh bacon for a little over $200".

"Well, let's call him tomorrow. We can load up the freezer and take home with us what we don't eat".

"Good idea".

He came over and kissed her cheek.

"I love it when you're smart, which by the way, is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week".

"Well, thank you".

After they were settled, they turned out the lights and headed to bed.

They snuggled up and held each other for a few moments before they fell asleep.

"Goodnight, I love you".

"Goodnight, I love you too".

***The Next Morning***

Jennifer woke up to the smell of fresh coffee, so she got up and followed the smell to the kitchen.

"Morning".

"Morning. Coffee is ready".

"Thank you".

She leaned up to kiss him and then poured herself a cup.

"What do you want for breakfast?"

"Whatever you want".

"Hmmm….how about bacon and eggs?"

"That sounds amazing".

She cooked the bacon while he cooked the eggs and then they sat down to eat.

"So, first thing this morning, I'm going to take the Jeep to get a tune-up, and I'm going to stop and order the meat package. When I get back, we can go riding if you want".

"I would love that. Why don't I come with you to run those errands?"

"Sure, if you want".

Jennifer did the dishes when they finished eating, and then quickly started a grocery list.

"In a few days, we'll need to make a run to the grocery store".

"We can definitely do that".

He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and started kissing her neck.

"Back in Los Angeles, I would be getting ready to make a special phone call to you".

She turned around and kissed him.

"Well, I tell you what. What if you give me the live-action play-by-play instead?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck as he kissed her again.

"You know something? You still drive me just as wild as you did when we first met all those years ago".

"14".

"14 what?"

She looked at him like she was momentarily angry.

"14 years, darling. 14 years of wedded bliss".

"The best 14 years of my life".

Before she could say anything further, he picked her up and carried her back to bed, kissing her the whole way there.


	2. Chapter 2

After Jennifer and Jonathan were finished making love, they got showered and dressed and then headed into town.

Jennifer kept noticing signs that had been put up on the main road.

"Darling, have we ever met a man named Holt Gregory?"

"It sounds familiar. Why do you ask?"

"He looks familiar to me. I can't place where I know him from though. I bet he's the busiest realtor for miles around. We must've passed 25 signs of his by now".

"Well, let's pull over and take a look".

They pulled to the right and parked and got out.

Plain as day on a sign, was "Holt Gregory, California Realty".

"Wonder why he has all these signs out here?"

"The people who own the land must be willing to sell and hired him to do it".

"But why? And why so many signs? It's not like this road is well-traveled or even what we would consider busy. Is it really necessary to have the same sign every 100 feet?"

"Well, if we ever meet him, we can ask him that question".

They got back in the car and headed on to their errands.

On the way back, Jennifer was more serious about counting the signs and making note of how many properties were for sale.

"Darling, by any chance was the person who contacted you about us selling the ranch Holt Gregory?"

"Yep, that's him".

"So, maybe he's wanting to buy as many connecting properties as he can, and make one gigantic spread."

"Yeah, I think you're right".

"Well, I don't want to sell the ranch at all, but I especially don't want to sell to someone just so they can have a bigger piece of the pie…that just seems so wrong to me".

"I don't want to sell it either. And I'll be damned if he's going to force us to do so".

***The Ranch***

They pulled back up into the driveway, and into the garage.

Jonathan carried in the huge box of meat that they had picked up, and Jennifer began prepping it and putting it in the freezer.

"I'm going to get on the 4-wheeler and ride around the property line, and make sure that it's secure".

"Ok. Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, no. I'll be back quickly. It's alright".

He gave her a kiss and then headed out.

She turned on the fireplace when she finished putting all of the meat in the freezer.

She made them some grilled chicken for grilled chicken sandwiches, and then made him some of his favorite cherry sweet tea.

She had everything ready when he got back.

"Darling?"

"In here".

She stepped out of the bedroom.

"Lunch is ready. I grilled us some chicken and made you some cherry sweet tea".

"Thank you".

He gave her a few kisses.

He picked up the phone and called the stables.

"Hey Jeremy-it's Jonathan Hart. Jennifer and I are here at the main house. Can you get a work crew together? I have a few projects that need to be completed and I'm going to need some help. Ok, thank you".

Jennifer made their plates and then they sat at the table.

"So what did you find?"

"Well, nothing too major. There are a few places where the fence looks weak, and where it could use some strengthening. And I found one area where I thought we had a significant amount of brush and bushes, and it seems as though they have been thinned out a good bit. So, I think I want to build a tall brick wall and get rid of the brush all together".

"That sounds like a large undertaking. Are you sure you don't want to hire a company to do that?"

"I might. The work crew can handle the fencing, though. I also think we need a new mailbox, need to update the landscaping in the front of the house and we need to plant some more trees".

"That's quite an undertaking".

"Yeah, but I think we can do it".

He drew a diagram of how he wanted the fence to look like and how he wanted the brick wall to look like.

"Darling, do you want a brick wall like this one, with the smaller bricks, or like this one with the tall columns?"

"It's going on the side of the property, right?"

"Yes".

"So, what if we eliminate the columns, and do the smaller brick, but make it as tall as the one with the columns?"

"Great idea".

"We just need to make sure that the horses will still have access to the river".

"Yes, we will make sure they do".

They drew up the new diagrams and then Jonathan got out the architect's plans for the ranch house and compared them with his diagram.

"I think these will fit just fine".

After Jennifer had the kitchen cleaned up and dinner marinating, she and Jonathan took the 4-wheeler out to the stables.

He had a long conversation with the work crew while she saddled up a horse to take it for a long ride.

She selected Chestnut, a beautiful light brown horse with extra smooth and silky hair.

After she got her all saddled up and had given her some treats, they headed out.

About 10 minutes later, she came back and looked worried.

"Darling, can you get a horse and come with me?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Well, I don't know. When we got to the ridgeline, by the blackberry bushes, she started to get very agitated, and turned back and would not for anything go back towards the blackberry bushes. It was very strange".

"Ok, I'll saddle up a horse and come with you".

"I think I want to put her in the pen and let her run off some energy. I'll grab another horse".

Jonathan selected Midnight, a beautiful black horse, and Jennifer selected Raven, a beautiful reddish-brown horse.

Once they were all saddled up, they headed out in the direction of the blackberry bushes.

As soon as they got close, both horses did the same thing.

"You see? They don't want to go any farther either".

Jonathan handed the reins of his horse to Jennifer, and hopped down.

He started looking around, and a few seconds later, he found it.

"Darling, look right here. Someone has planted spike strips in the grass-looks to be 4 or 5 strips wide".

"Why would someone do that on our property?"

"I have no idea. But I have a gut feeling that crooked realtor is to blame".

"This doesn't make sense. This is our property. We aren't infringing on anyone else's property. It can't possibly affect anyone else if we ride here or pick blackberries".

"Something shady is definitely going on".

Jonathan pulled the spike strips up, and then Jennifer rode her horse right up to the blackberry bush, without any problems.

"Darling, maybe we should get some cameras or something, so we can figure out who is doing this".

"Not bad. I think I might rent a chopper and fly over the whole property and that way I'll be able to spot anything suspicious".

"Great idea".

He handed Jennifer the spike strips and then climbed up on the horse. She handed him the strips back and they rode slowly up and down the ridgeline looking for more strips.

When they got back to the stables, Jennifer made sure to check Chestnut's hooves for damage. Thankfully, she found none.

They rode back to the house and Jonathan put the 4-wheeler away, and then he came inside.

They each took a long, hot shower, and then got started on dinner.

Jonathan got the fireplace going and turned on the tv. Jennifer got everything ready for dinner.

He grilled them steaks, while she made him some mashed potatoes and made herself a salad.

They did the dishes together and then curled up on the couch to watch tv.

"I cannot remember the last time you and I didn't have evening plans and could just spend time together at home in our pajamas".

"Yeah, same here."

She gave him a back scratch while they watched tv.

"Darling, do you think maybe whomever put the spike strips there thought we were coming onto their property?"

"It's possible. Maybe we should go into town and get a copy of the property lines, just to cover our bases".

"Couldn't hurt".

"I still think we need to build the brick wall so that there is a clear border".

"I agree".

Jennifer rubbed his shoulders and then just wrapped her arms around him for a few minutes.

He grabbed her hand and kissed her fingers.

"Darling, if you could go back to when you met me, and marry me all over again, would you?"

"Absolutely".

"You would? No hesitation?"

"None. 12 years of marriage to you is more than I ever deserved".

He turned to look at her.

"Would you marry me all over again?"

"Yes, absolutely. Only this time, I wouldn't wait as long".

She leaned over and kissed him, and rubbed his chest for a moment.

They stayed up a little longer, and then decided to head to bed.

Jennifer went and turned on the heated mattress pad, and got the bed all toasty and warm for Jonathan, just like he loved it.

Jonathan locked up and got them each a glass of water for their nightstand, just like Jennifer liked.

They climbed into bed and she scooted over right next to him. He wrapped his arms around her, and held her close.

"After 12 years of holding you every night, it's still my favorite part of the day".

"Mine too".

She scratched his arm as he kissed her head a few times.

"Darling, what do you think about us moving here full time?"

"Maybe someday. But in the meantime, we have the company, we have Max. Max would hate living here full-time. Not enough poker games around".

"Yeah, he would".

"Besides, I like the idea of this place being our little hideaway".

"You do?"

"Yeah. At home, you and I have to be respectful of Max, even if we don't want to be, and sometimes that means we have to…wait. But here, it's just us".

"That is true. And you and I are both more…uninhibited and less disciplined when we are here".

"And with good reason".

"Darling, tell me again how you knew I was the one?"

"Nobody else would give me the time of day".

"Jonathan Charles!"

"I'm kidding. Actually, the thought of you with anyone else bothered me greatly, and then I thought about my ex-girlfriends and how I hoped they were with anyone else but me, and that's how I knew. Also, I talked to Max and he told me".

"Max is so smart".

"How did you know I was the one?"

"Well, unlike your scientific theory of process of elimination, I realized rather early on that you were the one person in the whole world that I felt like I could trust more than anyone else, save for my father."

"That's a good reason".

"Darling, do you really think you and I could live here full-time?"

"Sure. Why couldn't we?"

"Well, there's nothing here but our ranch. The nearest stores are almost an hour away".

"Yes, but you could ride horses every day, darling, and you know how much you love to do that".

"Yeah, I do".

They chatted till they fell asleep in each other's arms.

***The Next Day***

Jennifer and Jonathan had a lovely breakfast together, and then got ready.

She was in the kitchen doing the breakfast dishes when he came out of the bedroom.

"Ok darling, I'll be back in a little bit. I'm going to go rent the chopper".

"Now darling, be careful."

"If you're pretty, maybe I'll buzz the house later".

"Jonathan! Don't you dare!"

"I love you, I'll land in the pasture and pick you up".

"I love you too".

She gave him a few kisses and then he headed out.

She was sitting in the living room waiting for him to get back when the doorbell rang.

_Who could that be? We never use the front door when we are here, ever_.

She found her keys and went to open the door.

"Hi, can I help you?"

"Hi. We just wanted to come and introduce ourselves. We are your new neighbors. We moved in around the corner, so to speak. Our ranch backs up to your ranch".

"Hi. I'm Jennifer Hart. My husband Jonathan, isn't here right now. But he should be here soon".

"Nice to meet you. I'm Danny Thompson, and this is my wife Kemper".

"Hi, it's nice to meet you".

"It's lovely to meet you as well".

"Well, we won't keep you, we just wanted to say hello and give you this. It's a cactus. We grow them at our farm in Arizona".

"Oh, thank you. That's very kind".

Just then, Jennifer heard the sound of the chopper coming towards the house.

"Oh, if you'll excuse me, that sounds like a helicopter, and that means my husband is back. Thank you so much for the cactus, I promise to take very good care of it".

"No problem. Well, see you around. Have a nice day".

"You too".

She closed the door behind them, and locked it, and then found a place to set the cactus down.

She headed out to meet Jonathan, making sure to lock the doors behind her.

A few minutes after she was up in the chopper with Jonathan, a red light in the base of the cactus turned on, blinked three times, and then stayed solid.


	3. Chapter 3

Jennifer quickly ran to the chopper and climbed in.

Jonathan waited till she was strapped in, and then handed her the headset.

They flew from one end of the property to the other, looking for anything suspicious.

"Darling, are you seeing anything?"

"Not yet".

They were about to circle back and land when Jennifer spotted something.

"Darling! Right there-can you land so we can go look at it?"

"Sure".

He landed the chopper and they hopped out.

"What exactly did you see?"

"It was over here. It looked like a row of new trees had been planted".

"What? That's impossible".

They walked over towards the trees till they found it.

"Darling, where is our property line?"

"Where the fence is".

Jonathan measured the distance from the fence to the new trees while Jennifer counted how many new trees there were.

"200 new trees".

"And they were planted exactly 10 feet from the property line".

They walked up and down examining the fence line, and couldn't find any holes.

"Darling, what are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking I'm going to hire some workmen to come in, build a brick wall along the property line, and then I'm going to figure out if we can save these trees and also have them replanted some place else".

They climbed back in the chopper and continued their search, and eventually went back to the house.

"I'm going to take the chopper back. I'll be back in a little while".

"Be careful. I love you".

"I love you too".

She gave him a few kisses and then headed back to the house.

About 45 minutes later, he came in and found her in the kitchen.

"Hi gorgeous".

"Hi. Lunch is almost ready"

"Great. I hired a foreman while I was in town. His name is Hank Parnell. He promised he can find a crew to replant the trees, and he can also oversee the redo of the property line fencing".

"That's wonderful".

"What would you say if I told you we might be here longer than a month?"

"I would say, that's fine. Any time I get with you all to myself is good time".

She wrapped her arms around him as he pulled her in for an embrace.

He looked over her shoulder and saw the cactus.

"Darling, has that cactus always been there?"

"No actually. While you were gone getting the chopper, our neighbors stopped by. It was their welcome gift".

"How nice".

After a nice lunch, she started working on an article, while he finalized the diagrams of the brick wall he wanted to build.

She came and sat in his lap about an hour before sunset.

"Darling, why do you think someone would sneak onto our property and plant all those trees? That had to cost them a bundle".

"Only theory that makes sense to me is that whomever this is, they are working with the people who keep offering to buy our property. And since we said no, they figured they could just take our property from us, a few feet at a time".

"But that's insane!"

"Yeah, it is. And darling, depending on who we are dealing with, it just might work. If they can forge a deed, they can make it look like we own a small piece of land, and they own all the rest".

"And there's nothing we can do?"

"We will just have to stand our ground and prove them wrong".

"Darling, how do you think they got on the property to plant the trees?"

"Well, there's no way to tell since we aren't here a lot. But my best guess is they climbed over the fence, or either removed a portion of the fence, and then drove in, and then put it back."

"I just don't understand why they want our land so bad. I mean, it's not like we are sitting on a gold mine or anything."

"Well, when we figure out who it is that wants it, we can find out why they want it so badly".

They decided to make dinner together, and spent a low-key evening focusing on each other, and not analyzing everything that had been going on.

Jennifer fell asleep on Jonathan's shoulder, so he gently picked her up and carried her to bed.

He gave her a sweet kiss and whispered "Goodnight, I love you", before he fell asleep right next to her.

***Two Days Later***

It had taken Jonathan almost all day to get a work crew out there to move the trees. They were able to save most of them, but not all of them. He also found a crew to come and build the brick wall to his height specifications to keep people from being able to climb over the fence.

Jennifer got a lot done on her research of her article, so she started typing it, and was finished within an hour. She was still in the creative mode, so she began to research the agent that she and Jonathan had seen the signs for a few days prior.

She printed everything she came across, so that she could dissect it later.

By the time two hours had passed, she was sitting on the floor of the living room surrounded by articles on Holt Gregory.

Jonathan came in the door covered in dirt and sweaty, just before sunset.

"Darling, you here?"

"In here".

"What's all this?"

"Research for an article".

She looked up and saw how dirty he was.

"Darling, you're covered in dirt! You're going to track it through the house!"

"I'm headed to take a shower, I promise".

She got up and followed him to the bedroom.

"Here, give me your clothes and I'll put them straight into the washer".

"Is that the best line you can come up with?"

"Ha ha."

She leaned up and kissed him as he handed her his very dirty clothes, and then she went and threw them into the washing machine.

She came back to the bathroom and quickly stripped down and climbed in behind him.

She began to soap his back, scrubbing the dirt off of him with very gentle and loving strokes.

"Great idea, darling".

She had him sit on the shower bench, and she sensually shampooed his hair and gave him a scalp massage.

"Oh, that feels amazing".

After she got him all clean, she straddled his lap and gave him a very passionate kiss.

He moved his kisses to her neck, and pulled her close to him.

They stayed in the shower till the water ran cold, and then took it to the bedroom.

For the next few hours, they were completely lost in each other, and gave no thought to anything or anyone else around them or elsewhere.

When they finally fell asleep together, he kissed her temple and whispered "Goodnight, I love you".

***The Next Day***

Jennifer and Jonathan woke up and had breakfast together, and then got ready.

They decided to go for a ride, and went to the garage and got on the golf cart to ride out to the stables.

Jonathan pulled the golf cart up into the parking bay, and they got out.

Jennifer selected Sundancer, an absolutely gorgeous light brown horse with a black nose. Jonathan selected Hearts Afire, a beautiful black horse with a red mane. As they were getting all saddled up, one of the stable hands stepped over to talk to them.

"Mr. Hart, I think we might have a problem".

"Hey Tyler. What's the problem?"

"Well, the company that delivers the hay for the horses, and the feed-they made their delivery 4 days ago. And they put the feed where they usually put it, in the storage stall. And they put the bales of hay in the usual spot, stall A. I checked in the hay myself. And the feed. And we had the same amounts that we always get- 440 bales of hay, and 200 pounds of feed. And this morning I went into the stall to get some more hay, and more than half of it is gone. More than 2/3 even. There are less than 40 bales left. We've never used that much hay in a 4-day span."

"So, you think someone came here and stole our hay?"

"I don't know what else to think. But there aren't any tire tracks, or any other evidence. If they had flown in here, we would have heard about it. And I promise you, there's no way someone took over 200 bales of hay out of here, one at a time, without any of us knowing".

"You're right, that's definitely a problem".

"Darling, what if we ride all the way up to the trails, and take them as far as we can? If someone is up to something up there, that's about the only way we'll be able to see it".

"That's a great idea. Tyler, call and place another hay order. And if I find out anything, I'll let you know. In the meantime, let's start locking the stall when nobody is in there".

"Yes, Mr. Hart".

Jennifer and Jonathan climbed up and headed out on their ride. For the next couple of hours, they rode all the trails they could access from their property, and saw absolutely nothing. Just as they were about to turn back and head back to the stables, they decided to ride across and go down the extreme western side of their property.

They had a leisurely ride, and then stopped to let the horses get a drink of water from the stream.

Jonathan noticed that Jennifer was staring off into the distance.

"Darling, have you ever noticed that treehouse over in that tree?"

"Now that you mention it, I don't think I have".

"Do we own that part of the property?"

"No, we don't. Our property ends where those thorn bushes are".

She wrapped her arms around him and leaned against him.

"You know something? After a month or two here, I'm not going to want to go back home".

"I know. I feel the same way".

They shared a few sweet kisses and then climbed back up on the horses again and headed back to the stables.

After the horses were brushed, and fed, and Jennifer had given them each about 100 carrots and sugar cubes, they hopped on the golf cart and headed back to the house.

Jonathan pulled the golf cart up into the garage and they hopped off.

"Darling, I think it's about to storm".

"I think you're right".

"Darn, I was hoping we could grill out tonight".

"We still can. I can back the car out of the garage and bring the grill inside the garage".

"Good plan".

Jennifer had just gotten the steaks seasoned and Jonathan had just gotten the grill inside the garage when they heard the first crack of thunder. A few seconds later, the bottom fell out.

Jonathan came inside and found her in the kitchen.

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek.

"How about a rainy day nap?"

"I love our rainy day naps".

As soon as she got the steaks into the fridge, he picked her up and carried to the bedroom, kissing her the entire way.

***The Next Morning***

It had stormed all night long, and Jennifer and Jonathan were grateful, because it gave them an excuse to stay in bed, not that they needed one.

They woke up and made breakfast, and then decided to go to the blackberry bushes and pick a few baskets full.

"Darling, why don't we take the Jeep down there, in case it's muddy?"

"Great idea".

They headed to the garage and opened the door, and headed towards the Jeep.

"Jonathan….we have a problem".

"What is it?"

She pointed to the Jeep.

All four tires had been slashed.

"What the hell….?"

"Someone doesn't want us to know something."

"I agree. Just wish I knew who it was that doesn't want us to know whatever it is they don't want us to know".

They went back inside, and Jennifer dug out the phone book.

Jonathan tossed his cap onto the couch, and missed, and accidentally hit the cactus. It fell off the shelf it was sitting on, and landed on the floor in pieces.

He began to examine the cactus, and realized that the entire thing was made of plastic and had a listening device inside.

Jennifer heard the crash and came to see what happened.

"Darling, what was that-oh my goodness, is that what I think it is?"

"Yep. Someone's been listening in on our conversations, darling".

"I'm calling the police".


	4. Chapter 4

About an hour later, the police finally showed up.

"Hi, I'm Detective Griffin, with the sheriff's office".

"Hi, come on in, I'm Jonathan Hart, and this is my wife, Jennifer".

"Pleasure, ma'am".

"Hello".

"What seems to be the problem?"

"Well, about a day or two ago, we had some visitors come by and give us a welcome gift. It was a cactus, and they said that they grew them, and it was a special kind of cactus. They said their names were Danny and Kemper Thompson, and that they lived around the corner, from our ranch".

"Ok. What kind of cactus was it?"

"Electrical".

"Ahh. Well, that would raise some concerns".

"And there are a few other issues. We've been noticing that someone is trying to encroach on our property, like planting trees without asking, in an effort to move our property line closer and closer to the house. Someone also planted some spike strips along one side of our property, where we normally ride our horses. And then yesterday, we went for a ride through our property, and our main stable hand told us that he thinks someone has been stealing bales of hay. So, we took a ride, didn't see anything concerning, and then we came back to the house. I moved our Jeep out of the garage last night, so we could grill during the storm. This morning, we were going to head out on a drive, and we went outside and all 4 of our tires have been slashed".

"Who do you think is coming onto your property?"

"We aren't sure. We got an offer on the property, but we told them we weren't interested in selling. And it's been ever since then, that these things have been happening".

Jonathan handed the listening device to Detective Griffin, in a plastic bag.

"Where's your vehicle right now?"

"This way".

He followed Jonathan outside, while Jennifer began sweeping the cactus pieces up into a dustpan.

Jonathan came back inside.

"Darling, the detective and I are going to go ride down to the stables, on the golf cart. Can you call the auto club and see if they can bring us either 4 new tires for the Jeep, or come tow it? Here's the last receipt for the tires, that should tell you what kind".

"Certainly. Be careful, I love you".

"I love you too".

He gave her a quick kiss and then they headed out.

About an hour and a half later, they were back.

"Ok, Mr. and Mrs. Hart, I'm going to make a lengthy police report. I'm also going to go and track down the Thompsons, and ask them about the cactus. If they bring another plant buy, be very hesitant about accepting it. And if anything else happens, here's my card. Keep your gate locked, and you might want to think about investing in some cameras around the property that will show you who is doing what at night".

"Good idea. Thank you, detective".

"Thank you".

"Ya'll have a nice day".

Jennifer locked the door behind him, and then turned towards Jonathan.

"Auto club is coming by 5".

"Wonderful".

Jennifer set about making them lunch, while Jonathan went outside and took the old tires off the Jeep.

After a nice lunch on the back porch, Jennifer decided to head down to pick the blackberries while Jonathan waited for the auto club.

"Be careful. Take this walkie-talkie in case you need me".

"I'll be fine."

She drove the golf cart to the stables, and then selected her horse, and saddled up. After she had picked a nice amount of blackberries, she got back on the horse again and headed to the other side of the property where the other bushes were.

She let her horse, Brownie, get some water from the river while she picked the berries.

After she filled her basket, she went to climb back up on the horse. After she was settled, and had the reigns in her hand, she looked down at the river, and was shocked at what she saw.

She rode Brownie back to the stable, and got her squared away, and then rode the golf cart back to the house.

She came inside and set her basket down.

"Darling, are you in here?"

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Do we have a rain gauge already set up somewhere?"

"No, we don't".

"Hmm. I need to know how many inches of rain we got last night".

"Well, the news is about to be on, we can watch it and see".

"Great idea".

She began washing the berries, while he turned the tv on and searched for the news.

About 5 minutes later, he came in and leaned against the counter next to Jennifer.

"News just said this area got almost 3 inches of rain last night".

"Hmm…"

"What are you thinking?"

"Well, I'll have to show you tomorrow. But when I went to get the berries, I took Brownie and rode her over to the bushes by the river. And I'm not a weather expert by any means, but that river is almost bone dry, and I just think especially with how hard it stormed last night, it should be more full than that".

"So, do you think the river is leaking somewhere?"

"I didn't see any evidence of that, but that rain water had to go somewhere and it hasn't been long enough for it to have evaporated".

"Well, we'll give it a day or two and then look again".

Jennifer started making a blackberry pie, while Jonathan sat down on the back porch and painted the pieces to a birdhouse.

Once the pie was in the oven, she went out and helped him.

"This is looking good".

"Yeah, it's really coming along".

They got all the pieces painted, and then went inside just as the timer went off.

Jonathan built them a fire, and got the blankets out of the chest that Jennifer liked.

After dinner, they decided to get into their pajamas and have a relaxing evening by the fire.

Jonathan made them some cocktails, and Jennifer gave him a back massage.

"Oh, that feels so good".

She rubbed his shoulders and gave him a scalp massage while they watched a movie.

"Darling, did you move the Jeep inside after we got the new tires?"

"Yes, I did."

She rubbed his back till he was totally and completely relaxed, and practically in a coma.

They laid on the couch, with her behind him, and his head just underneath hers. She started to lightly scratch his head for a few minutes, and then stopped.

He picked her hand up and put it back on his head.

She smiled and kept rubbing his head, and a few minutes later, realized he had fallen asleep.

She laid there with him till their movie ended, and then gently climbed over him and off the couch.

She went and got them each a glass of water, and put it by the bed.

She turned the tv off, and made sure all the doors were locked and all the unnecessary lights were out, and then gently began to wake him up.

"Darling, come on, let's go to bed".

"Hmmm?"

"Let's go to bed".

He sleepily sat up and headed to bed.

She followed behind him and turned out all the lights.

"Did you lock the doors?"

"Yes, I did. And I turned out the lights, and I got you water".

No sooner had they climbed into bed, Jennifer heard the sound of glass breaking.

"Jonathan! Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"That noise. I think we have a burglar".

"Stay here".

"No, I'm not letting you go alone. I'm coming with you".

She got up and grabbed her robe and slippers.

They crept to the living room and Jonathan turned on a light.

They immediately saw what had happened.

"Darling, look! Our beautiful vase is broken. But how?"

"By this bullet. Someone shot out our back window".

Jonathan grabbed the phone and called the police, and they started turning on some lights.

Jennifer came over to him and put her hand on his chest.

"Darling, don't go out there".

"I swear to God, I am going to load this place up, with cameras, motion activated everything, lights, fences, gates, you name it, we are getting it. I don't care if it bankrupts us, we are going to figure out why people are so interested in this property".

"Darling, maybe we should just sell it to them and cut our losses and walk away. If they want the property this badly-"

"No. it's a matter of principle now. They asked, we said no, and they need to accept that and respect it".

"Well, actually, 'we' didn't say anything".

"You know what I meant."

"I do. Look, I don't want to fight with you, and I don't want to fight with whomever this is. But Jonathan, they fired a bullet into our home. You and I were laying here on this couch just a few minutes ago. Imagine if we had been laying there when they pulled the trigger".

Before they could continue their argument, the doorbell rang.

Jonathan went and turned the light on and answered the door.

"Hi, I'm Sheriff McDougal. You must be Mr. Hart".

"Hello, Sheriff. Sorry to bother you at this time of night."

"What seems to be the trouble?"

They walked into the living room.

"My husband and I watched a movie on this couch tonight, and then got up and headed to bed".

"Good for you, Mrs. Hart".

Jennifer's eyes were blazing.

"No sooner had we gotten into bed, we heard a noise. We came out to the living room to find that someone shot a bullet through our window and it shattered this vase."

"We were unable to see who it was, though".

"Probably just a wayward hunter".

"At this hour? Who in their right mind would be hunting at this hour?"

"Lots of people do it. That's why they make those night-vision goggles."

"Well, considering the issues we've been having lately, I highly doubt the person who did this was hunting for anything on four legs."

"What else is out there for them to hunt?"

"Us. Clearly they want to kill one of us, in order to take over this ranch".

"You mean to tell me you woke me up and got me out of bed to listen to a conspiracy theory?"

"No. We woke you up and got you out of bed because a crime was committed. And we want to press charges".

"You've had one incident, ma'am. And we don't even know the details surrounding that incident".

"No, we've had several incidents. Your officer came out and took a report. We found evidence that someone is trying to harm our horses, through the use of spike strips, and also by stealing our hay. We found evidence that someone has been trespassing on our property, and planted trees in an attempt to skew the property lines. We had someone come into our driveway and slash all 4 tires on our vehicle. And tonight, someone shot a bullet through the window and destroyed a very expensive vase".

"Like I said, a hunter's bullet doesn't always hit its' target. But hey, if you want us to investigate and do a report, we are happy to do so".

"And like I said, we want you to investigate so that we can press charges".

"Hey, be my guest. I'm happy to radio my boys and have them come investigate this crime scene, so that we can find out who is on the hunt for the two of you".

"Thank you".

Jennifer sat down on the couch, and crossed her arms, while the sheriff called for backup.

Jonathan went and unlocked the back door and turned on the lights on the back of the house.

As soon as the other officers arrived, the scene was rather chaotic.

Sheriff McDougal directed his officers to examine every single inch and question the Harts as many times as they needed to in order to make the report as accurate as possible.

About an hour into the investigation, Jonathan came over and sat next to Jennifer.

"Look, what if we just call this off and don't press charges, get everyone out of here and go to bed?"

She turned to him. She couldn't believe what he was saying.

"Not on your life!"

"Jennifer, it's obvious they don't believe that this is as serious as we do. They are drawing this out on purpose to be spiteful. Let's just call it a loss and go to bed".

"It is our right to press charges if we want to, Jonathan. And remember, we were sitting right here in the line of fire just moments before it happened. If we don't press charges, then it's like saying our lives don't matter. Is that what you're saying?"

"No, of course not. I just think we aren't going to get anywhere, that's all".

Sheriff McDougal came back in and came to the living room.

"Ok folks. We are going to wrap this up. We found some tire tracks, but unfortunately, they aren't that distinguishable. Meaning, 95% of the folks that live around here have the same type of tires on their ATV's as you do. I gotta tell you, I really and truly thought you two were making something out of nothing, until I got outside. Whomever this shooter was, they left a box of bullets and a ladder just over your brick wall there. So, yeah, there was someone here. But the property to the direct east of your property isn't gated, so it's impossible to figure out who this person was or when they accessed that property in order to access yours. But we'll write up a report and if we come across something, we can still press charges up to a year from now".

"Thank you".

Jonathan put a piece of cardboard over the window, while Jennifer cleaned up the pieces of the vase. The Sheriff took the bullet for evidence, and then Jonathan signed his report.

"Thanks for coming out".

"Have a good night, Mr. Hart".

By the time Jonathan got the doors locked again and the lights back off, Jennifer was in bed, fast asleep.

He climbed into bed next to her, wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her head, before falling asleep next to her.


	5. Chapter 5

***The Next Morning***

Jennifer got up first and went and made the coffee. Jonathan came and joined her right when it was ready.

"Morning".

"Morning".

She poured him a cup of coffee and then poured one for herself.

He took her hand and led her to the back porch.

He took a seat and then pulled her into his lap.

She snuggled with him while they sipped their coffee.

"Ok, decision time. What are we going to do?"

"I've been thinking. Maybe we should sell. I mean I love this place and all, but it's not worth risking our lives".

"I agree, it's not worth risking our lives. But darling, if we do sell this place, there's no law that says we have to sell it to Holt Gregory. As far as I'm concerned, after all this harassment, he doesn't deserve for us to sell it to him. And it wouldn't be fair for us to sell it to someone else and put them in the hot seat with him".

"That's a good point".

"So, let's just be consistent. Every time something is amiss, we file a police report. They will have to either arrest this guy or he's going to stop bothering us, whichever the case may be".

"We can do that. And we can also beat them at their own game".

***Later that Day***

Jennifer and Jonathan had gotten dressed and driven into town, to pick up some supplies. On the way home, they drove the back roads and just kind of looked around a bit at the properties around their property to the North.

They were both surprised to find a huge cattle farm directly to the north of their property.

"Did you know that was up here?"

"No, I didn't".

They pulled over to look at a map of the area.

"Darling, what is the name of the river that our property runs alongside of?"

"The Bloomtown River, I believe".

"Well, what a coincidence. According to this map, the Bloomtown River also runs right next to the cattle farm just north of us, and if we continue down this road, we will cross the Bloomtown River".

"Oh really? Let's go see what we can find out".

They pulled forward and made their way down the road, and sure enough, they were soon crossing the Bloomtown River.

"Darling, are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

"Yeah, I am. That river is moving rather fast".

"But yet, when it gets down to our end, it's barely a trickle".

"I think I might call Jack when we get back to the house. Have him fly up and rent a chopper and fly that from one end of the river to another".

"Good idea, darling".

They continued on towards their road.

Just before the stop sign, there was a huge estate that was gated and had a large 'G' on it.

Jennifer had been making notes as they drove along, and she noted how that estate was much larger and nicer than the others.

They pulled up into the garage at their house and went inside.

Jennifer sat down and started making some notes, while Jonathan made a few phone calls.

They were just about to head out on the ATV when there was a knock at the door.

Jonathan went and answered it, and found Kyle Perkins, his head ranch hand, on the other side.

"Hey Kyle, how are you?"

"Good. Mr. and Mrs. Hart, do you two have a moment?"

"Sure, come on in".

"Thank you".

He took his hat off and came inside.

"There's no easy way to say this. More than half of our crew has quit. I didn't think much about it at the time, as rodeo season is coming up, and a lot of our guys want to go to Cheyenne and compete. But this morning, I was up at the feed store around the bend, and I saw several of them, and they were all wearing the uniform for the Gregory ranch. When I walked up to them to say hey, they told me it wasn't nothing personal, but that Mr. Gregory came and offered them $20 more per hour than you were paying, and is also letting them live in a really nice bunkhouse on his property. Now, I don't mind that we don't have a bunkhouse, because most of us are married. But apparently that was the main selling point for the others".

"How many men are we down, Kyle?"

"8. And there's only 4 of us left. This is a really nice place, Mr. Hart, and we work really hard. But we cannot do it all by ourselves".

"I agree. And you don't have to. You have my permission to hire as many people as you need, and to pay them and everyone else as much and even a few dollars more than Gregory is paying his ranch hands".

"Thank you, Mr. Hart".

"No problem".

Jonathan shut and locked the door behind him and then turned to Jennifer.

"Darling, do you get the feeling that we are missing something?"

"Yeah, I do. I think we might need to consult the county clerk's office and ask some questions regarding the property records".

"Not a bad idea".

"I think I'm going to make some phone calls. You can take the jeep and go to the records department if you want".

"Good idea. I'll be back as soon as I can".

She leaned up and kissed him.

"I love you".

"I love you too".

Jennifer headed out, while Jonathan picked up the phone.

"Hello, Deanne? It's Mr. Hart. Can you connect me to Stanley please?"

***Records Department***

Jennifer came in, and took a number and then took a seat.

When they called her number, she went up to the window.

"Hi, I'd like all the records you have for the property at this address, including a map showing the property lines, please".

She slid the address to the clerk.

"Ok, and you are?"

"The current property owner".

"One moment, ma'am".

"Ok, so you have two choices. You can take this file and make your own copies, with the copier over there, at a rate of $.55/copy. Or, you can pay us $45.00 to make copies for you. If I hit print, it should only take about 30 minutes or so".

"Sure, I'll do that".

She paid the lady and then sat back down to wait for the file to print.

A nice looking blonde lady came and sat next to her.

"Nice weather we're having isn't it?"

"Yeah, it's pretty out today".

"It's a great day to sell a house or a nice piece of property".

"Yes, I suppose it is".

Jennifer began to make a grocery list, trying to make it obvious that she wasn't interested in the woman's conversation.

A few minutes later, she heard the clerk call her name.

"Mrs. Hart, your file is ready".

"Thank you".

She got up, grabbed the file and then headed to the car.

***Grocery Store***

Jennifer was like a machine in the grocery store, swiftly moving through the aisles and grabbing everything on her list.

In total, it only took her about 20 minutes from start to finish.

As she was pushing the cart through the parking lot, the same blonde lady from earlier came up next to her.

"Take it from me, honey. Some things are better left undiscovered".

The lady walked on ahead.

"Excuse me? If you have something to tell me, or to say to me, just say it. This cat and mouse game is getting old".

"If you know what's good for you, you'll heed my warning".

"I beg your pardon. I will not be intimidated by the likes of you!"

"Don't say I didn't warn you, toots".

The lady kept walking and left Jennifer standing there in the parking lot.

She made her way to the Jeep, and loaded the groceries.

As she drove out of the parking lot, she noticed the lady driving a black BMW.

She decided to go straight home and made sure to take the fastest route.

As soon as she turned on to their street, she began to hear a roaring noise.

She looked in the rearview mirror and saw the black BMW coming at her at a high rate of speed.

She sped up, and then quickly turned, skidding off the road. The BMW wasn't able to turn in time, so it continued on.

Jennifer circled back and then continued on towards their house.

About a ½ a mile from the ranch, she saw the BMW on the side of the road, with a flat tire.

Jennifer made note of the license plate number.

4SPD782.

'_Four speed, seven eighty two'. _

She quickly pulled into the driveway, closed the gate behind her and then pulled up into the garage. She made sure to close the garage door before she got out, and quickly headed inside.

She heard him on the phone before she saw him.

"Yes, Stanley. That's correct. Just look into it and see what you can find out".

She quickly got his attention and grabbed a note pad and started writing him a note.

She pointed to the note and then the phone.

"Stanley, one more favor. See what you can find out about a Black BMW with California plates, 4SPD782. Yes, that's right. Ok, thank you, Stanley".

He hung up and came over to her.

"Darling, what is this all about?"

"I was at the records office. And I was waiting and this lady came up next to me, and sat right next to me. And she was talking about how it was a nice day out and it was the perfect day to sell a piece of property. And then I left there and headed to the grocery store, and when I came out of the grocery store, the lady came up to me again. And she said 'take it from me, some things are better left undiscovered'. And I stopped and told her that if she had something to say to me, to just say it. So, she says 'If you know what's good for you, you'll heed my warning'. So, I told her I wasn't going to be intimidated by her. And she said "Don't say I didn't warn you". So, we leave the parking lot, and I spotted her in a black BMW. I decided to take the fastest route home, and as soon as I turned on our street, she came up behind me at a very high rate of speed. I sped up, and took a quick turn at the roundabout, which she wasn't prepared to take, and then I continued on after she passed. When I got to the horse farm with the blue fence, she was on the side of the road with a flat tire".

He wrapped his arms around her and held her.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. I'm just frustrated. Why the sudden interest in our property all of a sudden? This is so insane".

"I promise, we will get to the bottom of it".

"What did Stanley tell you?"

"Well, it seems as though the Mobile Tower Electronics deal has fallen through. We thought that was a sure thing, and for some unknown reason, they pulled out of the deal".

"That's strange".

"Yeah, it is. Stanley's going to investigate".

She started to put the groceries away.

"What did you pick up?"

"We are having a special dinner, just because".

"Oh? What are we having?"

"I picked up some fresh shrimp, and I thought we could grill some steaks, some shrimp skewers, and have a nice salad with it, and I'll even make you some crispy potatoes".

"Wonderful idea".

He gave her a few kisses and then got out the steaks so they could thaw.

They had a nice dinner, and then did the dishes together.

When they were both in their pajamas, Jennifer sat down with the file that she had picked up.

She and Jonathan looked all through it, and didn't find anything amiss.

"Darling, when you bought this place, do you remember who you bought it from?"

"A family named the Carters. Very nice people".

"What was on the property when you bought it?"

"This house, that I completely renovated, the barn, which I expanded on and renovated, the pond, which was smaller than it is now, and the well".

"I forgot about the well!"

"Totally understandable, seeing as how it hasn't been used in 50 years, at least".

She was looking at the property map.

"Darling, what is this rectangle on the map right here?"

"That's the storm shelter. I don't think I've ever opened that, either".

"What are you thinking?"

"I'm not sure yet…. Either there is something on this property they are after, or they are after us and want to just get us out of the way".

"I think it's time I called in my legal team."

"Great idea".

Jonathan picked up the phone and called his lawyer, while Jennifer finished looking at the file.

She made a list of questions for him to ask, and slid it to him.

"So, you are saying that we need to document each and every interaction, and if they keep badgering us to sell, we can charge them with harassment? Cameras, got it. We are putting those up as well. Ok, thank you".

He hung up and looked at Jennifer.

"It's time to fight fire with fire".

"What do you mean?"

"Marcus wants me to play it safe, and charge them with harassment. And I might. But something tells me that won't be strong enough to end this once and for all. I really think we need to do something a little more extreme, to really send the message that it's time to back off".


	6. Chapter 6

Jonathan and Jennifer sat down and made a timeline of everything that happened so far.

"Ok, so tomorrow, I'll go into town and get copies of the police reports we've made so far".

"No, we will go into town and get them. I don't want you going out alone".

"Ok, fine. We will go together".

Jennifer went and grabbed the box of paper clips, and reorganized their papers. She put some post-it notes on each stack, indicating the date.

After it was all organized like she wanted it, she turned to Jonathan.

"Darling, what if we put this in the wall safe for safe keeping? Just in case they realize that we have it".

"Good idea".

He got up and went and put the papers in the safe.

She followed him.

He shielded the combination with his hands.

"Darling, we've been married 14 years. When are you going to tell me the combination to the safe?"

"Darling, we've been all through this. You get nervous when I get my weapons out. This is where I keep them. If they make you nervous, it's better that you don't know the combination".

He put the papers in, locked the safe back and came over to kiss her.

"Ok, fine".

They decided to head to bed, so she got them water while he made sure the doors and windows were locked and turned out the lights.

She snuggled up to him when he climbed in bed, and he stroked her hair as she lightly scratched his chest.

"Darling, there's something about this that isn't making sense. If these people are after something that is here on our property that we don't know about, they've had all this time to come on the property and get it. We would have never known".

"I agree. That's why I think there's more to it than that. I think it's like you said earlier-we are missing something. And more likely, we are missing more than one something".

"Darling, has anyone…made a pass at you recently?"

"No. Why do you ask?"

"Well, that incident today with the lady made me think-maybe she was trying to get me out of the way so that she could come after you".

"Well, it would be a waste of her time if she did, because if I can't have you, I certainly don't want anyone else".

"Glad to hear it".

He rolled on top of her and kissed her, as he held her tight.

They were just about to make love when the phone rang.

"This better be good".

Jonathan reached over and picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Mr. H., it's me, Max."

"Hey Max. How are things at the house?"

"Not so good, Mr. H. I came in from a poker game, and gathered the mail. You have a threatening letter. I wouldn't normally open your mail, but it wasn't sealed-it was just folded, and it was mixed in with the coupons, honest. It says 'if you don't back off and abandon your ranch, there will be consequences that you will forever regret'. And when I came up to the house, someone had been here and they did a little damage."

"It's alright, Max. What kind of damage?"

"They egged all the windows, they cut the blooms off all the flowers and bushes, they sprinkled so much bird seed that all the birds in California came and congregated on your driveway and lawn. If I may be frank, Mr. H., it was a mad house. I finally began scooping up the seeds and just put them in the bird feeder".

"Ok, Max. I want you to call Lt. Gray. Make a report, and then give him this number. Tell him to call me tomorrow and we'll fill him in".

"You got it, Mr. H."

"And if you don't feel safe, I'll post security at the house and get you a hotel".

"I'll be alright."

"Thanks Max".

"Sure thing, Mr. H. I'll call Lt. Grey right now".

As soon as he hung up, Jennifer put her hand on his chest.

"Is he alright?"

"He is alright, but he came home from poker and found a threatening letter in the mail. And then he drove up to the house and found evidence that someone had been in the front of the house because all the windows were egged, the bushes and flowers were hacked to pieces and they poured so much bird seed all around that he said all the birds in the state of California were in our yard".

Jennifer chuckled.

"I'm sure that was a sight. What did he do?"

"He said he scooped up the bird seed and put it in the bird feeder. As far as the letter goes, he's going to call Herschel and fill him in, file a report, and then have him call us".

"Good".

She settled back onto his chest and was just about to fall asleep when they heard a knock at the door.

"Now what? I swear this place is a three-ring circus".

They got up, put their robes on, and headed to the front door.

Jonathan opened the door and found one of the former ranch hands, Tate Coleman, on the other side.

"Hi, Mr. Hart, Mrs. Hart. I'm sorry to bother you at this time of night. But I just had to come."

"It's ok, Tate. Come on in".

"I just had to let you know that Mr. Gregory is planning to take over your ranch by any means necessary. He's talking about doing little things to start with, like tampering with your phone lines and your power lines and vandalizing your property, but he's also talking about big things too, like burning down the stables. I only took the job with him because he promised us more money and I need that money to help out my parents, but I wish to hell I'd never taken the job. I don't want to be part of something like this. That's not part of being a ranch hand".

"How do you know that he's really going to do these things?"

"I heard him talking with some of the other guys. They were planning out what they want to do. They didn't mention dates or anything, just that they were going to keep up the heat".

"Tate, if you want your job back on this ranch, you can have it. More money per hour, same job as before".

"Thank you, sir, I accept".

They shook hands.

"You can talk to Kyle in the morning, and start tomorrow if you'd like".

"Sounds good. Again, I'm sorry for bothering you, I just wouldn't have been able to sleep tonight if I didn't warn you."

"Did you hear him say why he's doing this?"

"No ma'am. But I did hear some of the other ranch hands talking and they said he's taken over just about every ranch around here except yours".

"Interesting".

"How many of our former hands are working over there?"

"A good number. About 8 of the ones that were working here last month, plus the guy that used to be the foreman here-Jake Rindell-he's the foreman over there now."

Jennifer noticed Jonathan's grim expression.

"Do they know that you are wanting to quit that ranch?"

"No, I didn't say anything to them. I waited till everyone was asleep and grabbed my bag and walked out. If they ask me, I'll just tell them that you asked me to come back to help you with a specific project or something".

"Got it. Well, thank you for letting us know".

"My pleasure. And thank you for allowing me to work for you again".

"Goodnight Tate".

"Goodnight, ma'am, Mr. Hart".

He tipped his cowboy hat to Jennifer and then headed out the door.

Jonathan locked the door behind him, and then turned out the light.

"Now what?"

"Now, we go to bed, get a good night's sleep, and figure this out in the morning".

***The Next Morning***

Jonathan and Jennifer had a quiet breakfast. Both of them were on edge, trying to figure out what their next move should be.

Jennifer finally broke the ice.

"Any thoughts?"

"Yeah. Brace yourself, darling. This house is about to get pretty noisy and pretty congested. I'm calling in some reinforcements".

He picked up the phone and called his Navy buddy, Bill McDowell.

"Bill, it's Jonathan. Jennifer and I are at the ranch. We need some help. Can you come up here for a bit? We'll open up the loft up above the garage where you can stay".

"On my way".

"We will need some provisions, too."

"You got it. I'll be there this afternoon".

"I tell you what. I'll send Jack to fly you out here".

"See you soon".

He hung up and then called Jack.

"Hey, I need you fly to Seattle, pick up a buddy of mine, Bill McDowell. He's going to be bringing lots of supplies with him. Pack a bag, because you and Bill will be staying here a couple of days. I will rent you guys a truck and have it waiting on you at the airport".

"I can be wheels up in an hour".

"Great. See you soon".

Jennifer started marinating some steaks for them to eat later that night, and quickly threw a few side dishes together.

Jonathan called Stanley while Jennifer was in the shower.

"Stanley, I need about 25 cameras that go on the outside of your house. If you can grab some from the product closet and bag them up, and take them to the airport to meet my pilot within an hour, there's a nice hefty bonus in your future".

"You got it, Mr. Hart".

"Thank you".

He hung up and called Max.

"Max-can you go in the garage and get the two air mattresses, as well as my tool box and the cordless power screw driver, the power drill, plus the chargers and a couple of hammers and a box of nails, and take all of that to the plane and ask Jack to bring it? He's leaving in an hour".

"You got it, Mr. H."

"Thanks, Max".

He made it to the bedroom just as Jennifer was getting out of the shower.

"Darling, I'm going to take a quick shower and then we can drive into town, get the police reports and then make a few stops and be back here before the guys get here".

"Perfect".

They headed out the door in under an hour, and less than two hours later, they were down to the final stop.

Jonathan loaded up a buggy with duct tape, rope, and 3 pairs of night vision goggles.

They checked out, and headed to the car.

After they were back on the highway, Jonathan reached over and took her hand and kissed the back of it.

"I'm concerned".

"About what?"

"How all of this is affecting you."

"Well, there are two answers to that. 1 is that it's driving me crazy trying to figure out what they are after, since it isn't clear. And the other is, I'm a little concerned. You bought black pants, a black shirt, and black gloves and boots at one stop, and duct tape, rope, and night vision goggles at the last one. What are you planning?"

"Well, nothing is concrete just yet. But I was thinking I might have Bill and Jack accompany me to the other ranch to see what's going on at night, and we don't want to be seen".

"Jonathan! You will not! That is highly dangerous! You can't put your friends lives at risk like that. And I won't let you risk yours like that either".

"I'm not talking about going off the rails, darling. I'm talking about looking around. That's all".

"It's not safe. Think about it, Jonathan. They are practically watching our every move as it is. So that means they will somehow know that you left our property and arrived on theirs".

"Jennifer, we have to get the upper hand somehow".

"I understand that, but putting your life at risk is not the way".

"It might be the only way".

Jonathan took the back way to their ranch, and they were both shocked to see that the property directly behind them had a nice, large sold sign on it, from Holt Gregory's real estate company.

"So now he owns the property behind us, across the street from us, and the property directly to our east".

"Well, lucky him. Whatever view he chooses, he gets to look at our beautiful property".

They pulled up into the driveway, and into the garage.

"Darling, I'm going to go for a long ride. I'll be back in a little bit".

"Take the walkie talkie with you".

She nodded and grabbed one and slipped it in her pocket.

She made her way down to the stables, and selected Sunbeam-a light golden colored horse.

For the next couple of hours, she was flying through the air, and riding with the wind, as fast as Sunbeam could go. They finally came to rest at the very top edge of the property. She slowed down and began to slowly walk Sunbeam, to let her rest her legs a little bit.

Jennifer saw some movement through the trees, and quietly climbed down off her horse and hid behind a tree as she watched through the trees.

She saw 6 men, 2 she recognized and 4 she didn't. They were building a dam in the river, to stop the water flow all together.

She watched for a few minutes, and then quietly slipped back to Sunbeam.

She took the reins, led her out of sight, and saddled up and rode back to the house.


	7. Chapter 7

Jennifer rode Sunbeam back to the stables, and stuck her back in her stall.

She started to walk back to the house and decided to check out the storm shelter.

Upon closer examination of the lock, she realized that it wasn't a real lock. It just snapped open and closed.

She got the door to the storm shelter open, and was about to climb down in there when she decided it might be best if Jonathan was with her.

She closed the storm shelter, and then headed back to the house.

Jack and Bill had just arrived and were sitting in the living room with Jonathan.

"Darling?"

"In here".

"Hey little lady".

"Hey Jennifer".

"Hi Bill. Hi Jack".

She hugged both of them and then went to sit with Jonathan.

"How was your ride?"

"Nice. Interesting".

"Interesting how?"

"Interesting in that I saw some things I want you two to check out".

"What things?"

"Well, for starters, I rode all up the way up to the northern edge of the ranch and there were some people that I could see through the trees, who were messing with the river. And I also looked in the storm shelter, but I think you should be the one to climb down there".

"What were they doing in the river?"

"Building a dam to stop the water from flowing".

"What?! They can't do that! That's our river too".

"I know. I think we need to call the police".

Just then, the phone rang. Jonathan got up and got it.

"Hello?"

"Mr. Hart, it's Stanley. I've been working on that special assignment that you gave me, and I believe I found something".

Jonathan listened for a few moments.

"Ok, see if you can find any evidence to that effect, Stanley. I appreciate it".

"Will do".

He hung up.

"Darling, I really think we should call the police".

"No, we can't. At least not yet. This time, we might need to handle this ourselves".

***Later that Night***

They all 4 had a nice dinner, and Jonathan and Jennifer filled Jack and Bill in on everything that had taken place.

They sat around formulating a plan while Jennifer did the dishes.

"Ok, let's go take a look at the storm shelter".

They gathered flash lights and headed out there. Jennifer showed Jonathan how to take the lock off and he opened the door.

She held the light while he climbed down into the storm shelter. Bill went next, and then Jennifer followed. Jack stayed next to the entrance to be the lookout, and then quickly climbed down the ladder after putting the lock in his pocket.

They were walking around the storm shelter, which was basically the size of a small room.

"Darling, there's not much to see in here. Can we climb back up yet?"

"I guess. Maybe we should have someone come check this out".

"Check it out for what?"

"You know-someone who installs these, to make sure it's structurally sound. I also want them to wire it for electricity, so we can put a fan down here, maybe a fridge for water and food supplies".

"Not a bad idea".

Jonathan leaned against the wall as he tried to adjust the light. All of a sudden, the wall gave way and began to spin around.

"Darling, stay here with Jack. Bill and I are going to go check it out".

The tunnel didn't lead much further and didn't reveal much of anything.

They came back a few minutes later.

"From what we've figured out, this is connected to the well, but the well has been plugged for a while and isn't operable. This place may have been used to store something".

Jack was looking around while Jonathan and Jennifer and Bill were talking.

"Jonathan, can I show you something?"

"Yeah".

"Put your hand on that wall there. Tell me what you feel".

"It's room temperature and slightly chilly".

"Yes. Now come feel this one".

Jonathan put his hand on the wall in the part that led to the well.

"That's not a real wall".

He punched a hole in it, with little to no effort.

Jack and Bill and Jonathan began tearing the wall back, and found an astonishing sight.

"Darling, come look at this".

Stacked up in piles against the wall were AK-47's, boxes of hand grenades, boxes of pistols, boxes of magazines, and more bullets than any of them had ever seen in one location in their whole life.

"Oh my gosh".

"Ok, time for a new plan. We are going to have to weigh when to tell the authorities about all this. Did either of you bring a sturdy lock with you?"

"Yes, I did".

"Perfect. Let's put it on the door when we leave here and when the time is right, we'll tell the authorities".

They headed back to the house and made sure the storm shelter was locked appropriately.

After Bill came back from locking the storm shelter, Jonathan set up a card table.

"Darling, do we really want to play cards right now?"

"We aren't. We have a project that we are going to work on".

They spread the map out and began to look at it.

"Ok, so in the morning, you two can drive up the street and take a look at the river. See what you can find out about what Jennifer saw. There are bridges where you can overlook the river here, and here. And you can also take the horses and walk them up the street and then back down this trail and cross over to our property".

"Got it".

The phone rang, so Jennifer ran and picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Mrs. Hart, it's Stanley. May I please speak to Mr. Hart?"

"Certainly. Darling, the phone is for you. It's Stanley".

Jonathan came and took the phone from her and talked to Stanley for a few moments.

"Ok, Stanley, that sounds good. I tell you what, take the file to my house, give it to Max and I'll have him bring it to me. Thank you".

He hung up and called Max.

"Max, it's me. Stanley Friesen from the office is coming to the house with a file to give you. Once he does that, can you fly up to the airport near here and bring it to me? We'll meet you at the airport".

"Sure thing, Mr. H."

"Thanks, Max".

He hung up and returned to the table.

"Ok, we should have some intel in the next couple of hours or so".

They gathered up the maps and put them away.

Jonathan turned to Jennifer.

"Ok, darling. Lock up behind us and we will be back as soon as we meet Max".

"Jonathan! I want to talk to you, for just a moment".

"I'll meet you in the car, guys".

Jonathan and Jennifer went to the bedroom.

"What is it?"

"Have you thought this through? You are asking Bill and Jack to come up here and leave their lives, now you want Max to fly up and meet you on a moment's notice and then what? Is he coming back here, is he going back home? Is he bringing Freeway? I would have liked to see Max and Freeway too. I would like to be involved in the decisions too. I have a stake in this, too".

"Ok, that's a good point. You can come with us. And if Max wants us to get him a hotel, we will. Same goes for Bill and Jack".

"Thank you".

All of them headed to the airport to meet Max.

They had an easy drive, and arrived just as Max's plane was landing.

"Darling, is he flying commercial?"

"No. I had Stanley give him access to the other Hart Industries plane."

As soon as they parked, the doors to the plane opened.

Max appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Hi Mr. and Mrs. H."

"Hey Max".

"Someone else made the journey to see you guys too".

Just then, Freeway came running down the steps.

"Hey baby…Momma missed you! Yes, she did".

Freeway jumped into Jennifer's arms and licked her face.

Jennifer picked him up and climbed into the backseat of the Jeep with him, while Jonathan talked to Max.

"Max, do you want to fly back home tonight? If not, we can get you a hotel room, or you can come to the ranch with us, but you'll have to bunk in the loft above the garage with Jack and Bill".

"I'll fly back home, Mr. H. I have a poker tournament I was going to go to in a few days".

"Wonderful. Well, Freeway can stay with us for a bit. I think Jennifer has really missed him. And here, play a few hands on me".

Jonathan handed him several hundred-dollar bills.

"Thanks, Mr. H. Freeway's food is with the luggage, and so is his favorite dog bed and a suitcase with a few of his favorite toys and supplies".

"Thanks, Max".

Jack and Bill loaded the car for them, and then they all took off, back to the ranch.

***Ranch House***

They pulled into the garage and Jack and Bill helped carry in Freeway's stuff.

"Thanks, guys".

Jennifer put him on a leash and immediately took him outside.

Jonathan handed them the air mattresses and then showed them how to get to the loft.

"We'll see you two in the morning. Make yourself at home, if you need anything let us know. Sheets and towels are in the bathroom closet and blankets and pillows are in the bedroom closet".

"Got it. Night".

"Night".

Jonathan turned out all the lights and locked all the doors except for the one Jennifer would use to come back inside.

He had just finished getting changed for bed when she and Freeway came in.

"Darling, maybe we should put up a fence just behind the house for Freeway so we don't have to put him on a leash each time".

"Not a bad idea".

They climbed into bed and snuggled up and watched the news, with Freeway right between them.

As soon as the news was over, Freeway hopped down and got comfy in his bed over in the corner.

Jonathan stroked Jennifer's hair and rubbed her back while he held her.

"Darling, remember the first time we went camping together? We were so broke we couldn't even afford a sleeping bag".

"Yeah, I do. We had no money at all, and made our own tent out of plastic table cloths and fishing poles".

She was laughing.

"It was the strangest camping experience I ever had, but it was so incredibly romantic".

"I know I said the other night we should just sell, but now, I really don't want to. I mean, we earned the right as owners to make happy memories here."

"You're right. We do. And it shouldn't have ever gotten this far. They made the offer, you rejected it, and that should have been the end of it".

"Exactly".

They chatted till she fell asleep on his chest.

He softly kissed her forehead.

"Goodnight, I love you".

***The Next Morning***

Jennifer got up and made everyone bacon and eggs for breakfast, and homemade biscuits.

After they ate, she stayed back at the house to look at the file from Stanley, while Jonathan took a horse and rode up to the area where Jennifer said she saw them working on the river.

They were all back at the house around two hours later.

"Hi darling, I'm glad you're here. I think I figured something out".

"I did too. There's a hidden trail that connects our property to the one behind us. So, if we build the brick wall along that back property line, we will be blocking our horses from the river and water access".

"So we just do nothing, and we just let people come onto our ranch?"

"Other than posting a few No Trespassing signs, I don't know what else we can do, unless we want to cut ourselves off from water access".

Just then, Jack and Bill came back in.

"Ok, so they are definitely on a revenge seeking mission with the two of you. They nailed boards across the base of the bridge and used cement to block the water flow from the river. On the south side of the bridge, there is zero water flow. On the north side, you could kayak the rapids."

"What? They can't do that!"

"They did."

"So, what do we do?"

"We blow their bridge to smithereens".

Jonathan turned to Bill.

"Let's make some Saturday Night Specials, shall we?"

"We shall. I brought the stuff, just in case".

Bill went and got a large suitcase out of the car and brought it to the table. He opened it and revealed a large cache of all kinds of things. Jars of different powders, hand grenades, pre-made explosives, and several cases of ammunition.

Before Jennifer could process what was happening, Jack, Bill, and Jonathan were sitting around the table pouring ingredients into large pipe tubes.

She walked over and watched them for a few minutes.

"What are these, exactly?"

"Just a few household chemicals in the proper proportions".

After a few hours, they had about 75 small bombs made.

"Ok, so we need to formulate a plan. At the very least, we need to quietly go and place all of these against the bridge."

"If we can climb into the river on your end, we can walk right up, place them, and then run a fuse line right into the middle of it, through the river and back on to your property, and push the plunger from your property".

"Good call".

"What about cameras?"

"Well, I want to put a camera in the tree up as high as I can, to capture this. So, let me do that first, and when I give you the signal, then you two can start on your part".

"Got it".

"And we might need to make sure we have extra supplies on us just in case they decide to ambush us".

"Great idea".

Jonathan went and got some weapons and ammo out of the safe and they all three put a gun in their belt.

Jennifer went and started on dinner and tried to not think the horrible things she was imagining.

They decided to do it just before sunset.

"Ok darling, hold supper for us. We're going to go do this, and then we'll come right back".

She wouldn't look at him.

"Nothing's going to happen, Jennifer, I promise".

"I don't like it".

"Nothing's going to happen. We are just reclaiming what is rightfully ours".

"If any of the horses get hurt…"

"They won't, I promise".

She nodded and kissed him.

As they headed out, she couldn't help but feel that this was going to make things worse instead of making them better.


	8. Chapter 8

Jennifer sat down with Freeway and immediately began going through the file.

Holt Gregory. Age 55. Born in Idaho, moved to California at the age of 10. Graduated from USC, with two degrees in business and international business. Graduated from Harvard Law School, and opened his own practice in California, specializing in tax and contract law.

Married, first to Angela, later to Melinda. 3 children, all grown adults.

Property records indicate that he owns several hundred acres in Northern California, as well as several hundred acres in Wyoming.

She started looking through the rest of what Stanley found, which was bank records, phone records, and old publicity photos.

On the very bottom of the pile, she found a picture that had been printed in a society magazine.

_Mr. Hart-thought you would find this interesting, given your current situation and who you asked me to investigate. Stanley. _

The picture showed Holt Gregory in the middle, with a Senator on one side and another businessman on the other.

_Looks like I'm going to have my work cut out for me_.

***Bridge***

Jack and Bill snuck up to the shallowest part of the river and climbed in. They began to walk towards the bridge, carrying the duffle bags of bombs with them.

After they got everything into place, they ran the fuse back to Jonathan and Jennifer's property, and up onto the bank.

As soon as they heard Jonathan whistle, they got into position.

Bill quickly connected the fuse to the plunger and motioned for Jack to get down.

"3…..2….1….."

Boom.

Pieces of the bridge flew in all directions. Chunks of concrete mixed in with chunks of wood. The bridge was now just a shell of what it used to be. A few seconds later, they heard the unmistakable sound of water flowing down through the river once more.

They quickly and quietly picked up their supplies and headed back towards the house.

Just as they rounded the corner out of sight, they heard yelling and gun shots.

They made it to the house without anyone following them.

Jonathan was right behind them.

They all three came into the house at the same time.

"That was beautiful".

"Yeah, it did exactly what we wanted it to".

He pulled up the footage from the camera and hooked it up to the tv.

They watched it a couple of times from a couple of different angles.

"The best part about this is, they have no room to get angry at us about it".

Jennifer picked up Freeway and then turned to look at Bill and Jack.

"Are you three insane? Between the three of you, are you all sharing part of one brain or something? And please, tell me who got the intelligence, because I really and truly cannot tell in this moment. You three exploded a bridge. You sent pieces of wood and cement flying into the air who knows how far, without any warning that it was going to take place. I think you can reasonably expect them to be angry about it, especially since they built what you blew up in the first place".

"Well, they can be mad. But they can't say we did anything illegal. They don't own the river. And the entire time, we were either in the river or on your property".

"Oh, like that's really going to make a difference!"

Jennifer's eyes were blazing and she was so mad she was shaking.

Before they could argue about it further, the doorbell rang.

Jennifer looked at Jonathan.

"Give me a minute".

She quickly got all her paperwork put away and out of sight, and then nodded at him.

He went and answered the door.

Sheriff McDougal was on the other side.

"Hello Mr. Hart. We need to have a chat."

"Come on in".

Sheriff McDougal came into the living room and found Jennifer, Bill and Jack.

Freeway started growling, so Jennifer got him in her lap and got him quiet.

"Mr. Hart, I'll get right to the point. We received a call at the station that you and your friends here were trespassing on some property and that you exploded a bridge that didn't belong to you. Would you like to tell me why you did that?"

"We never trespassed. We were on my property, or in between the banks of the river, which is owned by the state".

"Fine. I'll give you that one. However, you had no right to blow up a bridge".

"They had no right to block the flow of water from the part of the river that we had access to".

"Mr. Hart, I'm not here to mediate some petty drama. Now I did some looking into your background. You're a businessman. And as long as I've been the sheriff, I've never seen you and your wife here for more than a week or two at a time. Don't you have a business to get back to?"

"Until we stop being harassed, the only business I need to tend to is right here on this ranch".

"Fine, have it your way. But I'm warning you-any more reports of you trespassing on someone else's property or blowing things up-that's it. I'm taking you in. This has gone too far".

"So, maybe you should focus on getting them to leave us alone, and then we won't have a reason to trespass or blow things up!"

"Are you telling me how to do my job?"

"What my husband was trying to say is-all of this started because we refused to sell our ranch to them. They didn't ask once, they didn't ask twice, they asked 5 times. And my husband said no, it's not for sale each and every time. And they called our home, and threatened my life if he didn't sell. They came here and shot a bullet through our window. They have altered the property lines on our ranch, they have stolen our hay and feed for our horses, they have restricted water access for our horses, and they tried to run me off the road a few days when I went into town. So, if you are ready for this feud to end, perhaps you should turn your attention to the ones who started the feud instead of us, the ones trying to end it".

"Have a good day, Mr. and Mrs. Hart".

The sheriff saw himself out.

They decided to have a low-key evening. Jonathan made sure the property was locked down tight, and they closed the gates and just kept to themselves.

***The Next Morning***

Jennifer made sausage biscuits for everyone. Pretty soon, talk turned to what the next steps needed to be.

"Got any ideas, Valentine?"

Jonathan turned to Bill.

"You guys want to help me put up some cameras?"

"Would love nothing better".

"Darling, do you really think it's wise to be outside right now?"

"Jennifer, I'm not going anywhere but in my own backyard".

"Bullets don't know boundaries, Jonathan".

"I promise you, I'll be careful".

He kissed her forehead and then he and Bill and Jack headed outside.

Jennifer was too keyed up to relax or work or anything, so she decided to walk out front with Freeway and get the mail.

As soon as she got to the mailbox, she spied two cars down the street stopped, talking to each other. She watched them talk for several minutes and then began to gather the mail from the mailbox. A few seconds later, the two cars went their separate ways.

As one of the cars passed her, Jennifer realized that it was the same car that tried to run her off the road.

She grabbed the mail and headed back into the house.

She went immediately to the file that Stanley had put together. She looked all through it and found the piece of paper he had included about what he found when he ran the license plate.

"I knew it!", she whispered.

She went to the phone and called Hart Industries.

"Deanne, this is Jennifer. Can you connect me to Stanley, please?"

A few seconds later, he came on the line.

"Stanley, this is Mrs. Hart. Can you do some more digging as a personal favor? There's a Sheriff up here. Sheriff Pete McDougal. Can you investigate him for me, please? Just find out whatever you can about him. And see if you can find a link between him and Holt Gregory".

"Yes, Mrs. Hart".

"Thank you".

She hung up and went and sat at the computer again, and began organizing her thoughts into a word document.

She took a break about 2 hours later, and was in the kitchen making some lemonade when Jonathan came in.

"Hi".

"Hello".

"Look, I know you're mad, but our hands were tied. We had to do something. We had to send a message".

"Jonathan-you could have been hurt! You could have gotten all of us killed".

"I know, but you know that I would have never let that happen".

"Oh? They put a bullet through our window the other night, just because we were sitting on the couch. You blew up their bridge, I'm surprised they didn't storm over here and take us hostage and torture us to death".

"Jennifer-"

"And where exactly did you and Bill learn how to make those bombs?"

"In the Navy. A buddy of ours showed us how."

"You could have gotten yourself killed!"

"I'm sorry. But we had to do something to get the upper hand here".

He wrapped his arms around her.

"Well you better pray that all they are planning on doing is sending the sheriff to talk to us. And you're damned lucky he didn't arrest all three of you".

"Yeah, I know. But you never know, going to jail might have had its advantages".

He was rubbing her back while he hugged her.

"Oh? Like what?"

"Well for starters, I've known Bill most of my life, and I've known Jack for a long time. So, it's not like I would have been locked up with strangers, darling. And you know that thin mattress that you have to sleep on in jail? Well, that just means you would give me a nice, long backrub after you bailed us all out".

"Ha ha. Nice try. And how nice of you to assume I would bail you out. I could just let you stay in jail, darling".

"Now you wouldn't do that to me. It's me, the person you married, for better or for worse, forever".

"And if you don't quit pulling these dangerous stunts, our marriage isn't going to be forever, Jonathan".

She took a sip of her lemonade and went to set it back down on the counter.

He took it from her and took a sip himself.

"For the record, I was more scared than mad. You could have been killed. You belong to me, you know".

"I understand. I love you, I better get back outside and finish installing the cameras with Bill and Jack".

"I love you too".

They shared a few kisses and then he went back outside.

She decided to write an article about this whole situation, and began to do so while she waited for Stanley to call her back.

Bill, Jack and Jonathan came in and grilled some hamburgers for lunch. All three of them insisted that they were going to do the grilling, prepping, and cooking, and they were going to wait on Jennifer hand and foot.

They were bringing her fresh glasses of lemonade, and they made her a salad with all of her favorite vegetables and her favorite dressing.

Just before dinner, the doorbell rang.

Jennifer went to answer it, and found Sheriff McDougal on the other side.

"Hi, come on in".

Jonathan and Jennifer and Jack and Bill all gathered with the sheriff in the living room.

"So, I came here with a truce offering of sorts. The people at the ranch that think you trespassed met with me today. At first, they were all set to have me arrest you three for trespassing and blowing up the bridge. But I presented to them your side of the story, which is that they purposely restricted the water access, and that you actually didn't trespass. So, they proposed a truce. You leave them alone, and they'll leave you alone. Both of you can access the river from your personal property or from the street, but not from the other property, without prior permission. I made it very clear to them that you all don't wish to sell your property, and they said they will accept that. Now, if you ever do decide to sell, they will probably be your first interested showing. And with all the changes you are making to the property and the upgrades, you shouldn't have any problems finding a buyer".

"I can live with that. And I think we will all respect the no-trespassing truce, as long as they respect it as well".

"Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Hart, gentlemen."

"Thank you, Sheriff".

Jonathan saw him out, and then locked the door behind him.

He came back into the living room.

"Well, that was an unexpected turn".

"Manzoni Mistreatment", said Bill.

"Manzoni what?"

Jennifer was totally confused.

Jonathan turned to Bill.

"You're right! It is just like Mason Manzoni".

"Darling, who is Mason Manzoni?"

"He was a guy that Bill and I knew in the Navy. And he was two-faced, conceited and downright deceitful. He had a thing he did that the rest of us called 'the Manzoni Mistreatment'. He would pester someone mercilessly with no end in sight, and then he would call a truce, like it had been bothering him or something. And he would always be the first one to extend the olive branch, but it wasn't because he truly felt bad. It was because he wanted to gain points with the captain".

"So what you are saying is the truce may not be well intended?"

"Exactly".

"Did you have any problems or issues when you three were outside putting the cameras up?"

"NO, we didn't".

"So, what makes you think it's not a well-intended truce?"

"Just a gut feeling".

"Well, let's look at the facts. We are making changes to the ranch, and now they know they can't just come on to our property, as we've made it practically impossible. They obviously know that we are watching the river so they would be stupid to try and block it again. They haven't been over here bothering us, and we haven't been having any more incidents of them trespassing on our property, so there's nothing that indicates that they are planning something".

"Maybe you're right. At least they offered a truce".

"Dinner will be ready momentarily".

"No, no little lady. The menfolk made you lunch, and the menfolk will make you dinner".

"The royal treatment continues? I like the sound of that".

They grilled steaks, and Jonathan made some of Jennifer's famous garlic mashed potatoes, and some roasted veggies. Bill and Jack even set the table and made a fresh pitcher of sweet tea.

They had a nice dinner, and then the men insisted on doing the dishes.

"How long is the Royal treatment going to last?"

"Until you forgive us".

"Yeah, that's right. Freeway can't be the only guy in your life that you aren't mad at".

"I'm not mad at Max".

"Very funny. But Bill's right. We all agreed that we would wait on you hand and foot till you weren't mad at us for trying to protect you any longer".

"Well, when you put it like that, it might take a while".


	9. Chapter 9

***The Next Morning***

Jennifer and Jonathan had quietly made love when they went to bed the night before, and both of them found it exhilarating.

Jonathan woke up first and he and Freeway went to the kitchen and started making pancakes for everyone.

Jennifer smelled the coffee and woke up a few minutes later and joined him.

"Morning".

"Morning".

She gave Jonathan a few kisses and then started on the bacon.

"What are you three doing today?"

"Finishing the cameras. We only have a couple more to do. And then I want to go check on the river and make sure it's flowing. Bill said he had some ideas about how we can run some PVC pipes from our end to their end to keep the water flowing if they decide to block it again".

"That's not a bad idea. Maybe we should put up some motion detector lights, just in case".

"We can do that. What are you going to do?"

"I think I'm going to take one of the horses for a long horseback ride. Get the creative juices flowing again for my next article".

"Great idea".

After breakfast, Jennifer went to take a shower while the men cleaned the kitchen, and then got ready.

She headed out on the golf cart to the stables.

She selected a dark brown horse called Cocoa, and saddled her right up. She had a nice relaxing ride along the back of the property, and stopped to look at the river. She could tell the water was flowing rather rapidly, more rapidly than she remembered ever seeing it flow before.

She rode back to the pen and did some pen work with Cocoa before she took her on some trails. If Jennifer had her way, she would ride horses on trails every single day, all day long.

After about 3 hours, she decided that she wanted to take a break, so she began to ride back to the house.

She decided to just ride across the empty field towards the house.

Jonathan was hanging a camera on the back of the house when he saw her coming. Freeway was lying down next to the ladder.

He smiled as soon as he saw her.

'_I am such a lucky man to be married to the most beautiful woman in the entire world'. _

He dropped his screw driver, so he climbed down off the ladder to get it.

As soon as he was off the ladder, he heard the unmistakable sound of gun shots. He climbed on top of Freeway and held him tight as he shielded him with his body.

She felt like they were coming from all over, but couldn't see who was shooting at her or from what direction they were coming from. She felt Cocoa start to buck and panic, so she reigned her in a little tighter, and got her to go faster.

Jennifer ducked her head down and rode as fast as she could towards the only shelter in sight, the house.

Jonathan hid behind a bush and watched as several people pointed a gun towards their house, and then rode away back towards the woods.

"Jennifer! Jennifer!"

Bill and Jack jumped down off their ladders as well and scrambled to get inside.

Jennifer made it into the garage just in time to see one of her potted plants on the porch take a bullet.

She climbed down off Cocoa, and Jack took the reins from her while Jonathan grabbed her.

"You alright?"

"I think so".

He wrapped his arms around her. She was holding onto him so tight.

"Come on, let's get inside".

Jack tied the horse to a post on the stair rail, and they shut the garage door.

Everyone went inside, and Jonathan immediately picked up Freeway and handed him to Jennifer. He pulled up the footage from the tree camera on the computer.

They all stood and watched the gunfight on the monitor. Jennifer buried her head on Jonathan's shoulder.

"By my count, there were at least 12 people on your property, with one of them specifically shooting at Jennifer. I don't know that she was the target, but rather if any of us had been out in the open like that, we would have been targeted as well".

"I agree. This was definitely a cold, calculated, planned out ambush".

"What do you want to do, Valentine?"

"It's time for plan B".

***A few hours later***

Jennifer had taken a long, hot bubble bath and tried to calm down. She was still shaky, and was having thoughts about returning to Los Angeles. However, she really didn't want to leave Jonathan, either.

Bill and Jack and Jonathan had devised a plan, and Bill said he needed a few hours. He and Jack had driven into town.

Jonathan was obsessed with watching the camera footage and had gone outside and combed through the field and found several bullets. He photographed everything, spray painted where they were located, and was documenting everything in preparation of filing another police report.

Jennifer came out of the bedroom and sat on the couch, with Freeway.

"Hey, can I get you anything?"

"Not right now. I'm ok".

"I went outside and found several bullets that were fired at you. I'm trying to figure out the timeline, but since we didn't have the cameras up, I don't think we'll ever be able to fill in the missing pieces".

Jennifer wanted to suggest that they just pack up and go back to Los Angeles. However, she knew that Jonathan wouldn't go for it, and she didn't want to argue. She knew him well enough to know that he wouldn't want to leave without seeing this through.

Jennifer got up and went to make herself some hot tea.

He followed her to the kitchen.

"Hey, why don't you let me call Susan, or Laura, and have them come up? I'll be happy to send Jack to pick them up and bring them back here".

She shook her head.

"We don't have anywhere for them to stay. And it's not really fair to bring anyone else into this mess".

"I could kill them for shooting at you".

"Darling..."

"I know, I know."

He wrapped his arms around her and held her.

Jack and Bill came back inside then, carrying a big box.

"Ok, time for Plan B to officially begin".

Jennifer looked up at Jonathan.

"Do I want to know what Plan B is?"

"Probably not".

"Jonathan!"

"Just being honest, darling. I promise you, this is the easy, non-dangerous part".

"What are you three planning?"

"Well, first, we are going to go put some 'No Trespassing' signs up on the fences and trees along the edge of the property. If they come back, they will be in violation of those. And then we are going to scout out what their property is like-buildings, employees, things like that".

"Remember what the Sheriff said about trespassing?"

"We aren't leaving our property at all".

"That's right. We are using this. State of the art technology can sometimes be a good thing".

Bill pulled this large contraption out of a box and set it on the table and began fiddling with the wiring.

"What on earth is that?"

"This is the Techtron 2000. My company makes these."

"What does it do?"

"Well, let's say you want an aerial view of something. Instead of paying thousands of dollars to get a plane to fly overhead and take pictures of something, instead you fly this overhead with some simple controls, and take all the pictures you want. All you have to do is make sure the battery is charged".

"And what happens when they see this thing flying over their land and shoot it down?"

"They won't. We are going to have multiple Techtrons flying in the air at the same time".

"I see".

Jennifer was not exactly convinced.

Jack and Jonathan went to put the signs up along the property line, while Bill set up the techtrons. Jennifer sat down and tried to work on her article, but couldn't focus, so she turned on a movie instead.

Jonathan and Jack were back within the hour, and had several of the ranch hands with them.

Bill gave a demonstration about how to use the Techtrons.

"Ok, you three-take your Techtrons up around the bend to the field beside the power lines. Pretend to race them or something, for about an hour, and then come back. You two-go to the field down the street with the park benches-do the same thing. Every now and then, wave at the Techtron like your taking your own picture, just in case someone is watching. Remember the basic controls-x means stop, circle means go."

"We will start at exactly 2:30 p.m., for an hour".

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Jennifer walked over to Jonathan.

"Darling, where are you going to be?"

"Right here with you, watching the camera".

Jennifer tried to focus on the movie, but it was no use. She was a bundle of nerves. She eventually went to the back porch, climbed into the hammock with Freeway and took a nap.

About an hour and a half later, the guys were back.

Jonathan met them in the garage.

"Hey, Jennifer is sleeping on the back porch. So we need to be quiet".

They went into the living room, and began discussing what they saw.

"So, from the footage that Bill's Techtron loaded, it appears as though they have a large barn on the very back of the property, where the ranch hands stay. And it also appears that they have a large pond in the middle of the property. I noticed a few cameras on the house, as well as gates and fences around the property but not along the back property line where the woods are. So, if we can figure out how to get into those woods undetected, that's our in".

"Oh, that's easy, Mr. Hart. You drive down the street, turn on Appleview lane, and drive it north till you come to Summers Mill Road. Turn left. Now you are on the north side of the property. Go about 4 miles down the road, and there's an abandoned school house there, with a park at the back and a nice sized but abandoned parking lot. Walk through those woods and you will end up on Holt Gregory's property. Those woods aren't thicker than the size of this house. There's even a trail. Follow the one with the yellow markers and you can't miss it".

"Ok, sounds good. I tell you what. Let's do this tonight, around 11:30, midnight. Everyone will be paid overtime. Wear all black and bring flashlights with you. Everyone will need one pistol plus a couple packs of ammunition. I don't expect us to shoot anyone, but I do expect us to defend ourselves if we need to. But I want to be clear, I want everyone to be careful".

They all nodded.

"Does anyone know their habits over there? Anything we should be aware of?"

"Yes, I do. They typically work till about 9 at night, and they stagger getting ready for bed, but the tell-tale sign that everyone is in bed is when the front porch light goes off, usually around 11:45".

"Ok, so that will be our signal".

"Where are we going to meet?"

"At the park behind the school, at 11:30".

Everyone headed out, and then Bill, Jack and Jonathan sat down in the living room.

"Jack, can you do me a favor?"

"Sure".

"I respect your skills, and I respect your intelligence. And it's not that I don't want you to go with us or that I don't trust you to go with us. But, would you mind staying here with Jennifer? I don't want her to be involved in this, and I don't want to leave her alone".

"Absolutely".

"Thank you. There's a bonus in your future, I promise".

Jennifer woke up and came inside.

"Hey. Why did you let me sleep that long?"

"You were sleeping so soundly, I didn't have the heart to wake you".

"Well, to show my appreciation, I'm going to make you three the best dinner you've eaten in ages. How does spaghetti, salad, and fresh bread sound?"

"That sounds amazing".

"Play your cards right and I might even make a fresh apple pie for dessert".

Jonathan could tell she was trying to distract herself from thinking about the shooting.

"Whatever you want to make is fine, darling. We aren't hard to please".

She set about in the kitchen, while they kept talking in the living room.

"What are you going to tell her?"

"Nothing. She'll be asleep by then and I'll sneak out. You stay here on the couch, and if she wakes up, tell her you couldn't sleep in the loft, so you moved down here. If she asks where I am, tell her I went to check the property and I'll be back soon".

"Got it".

After a dinner the guys raved about over and over, Jennifer settled onto the couch and read a magazine while the men played poker.

Around 10, Bill and Jack made a big deal about going to bed.

"See you two in the morning."

"We're headed to bed too. See you in the morning".

"Goodnight".

"Goodnight".

Jonathan took Jennifer's hand and they headed to the bedroom. They both changed into their pajamas and then climbed into bed.

Jennifer snuggled up to his chest.

"Darling, if they ask you about selling-can we at least think about it?"

"We can think about it".

"Do you ever think about us moving away?"

"Moving away to where?"

"Oh, I don't know. Sometimes I miss the hustle and bustle of New York. I think it would be so romantic for you and I to live in the Penthouse in New York".

"Yeah, but think about the winters, darling. Cold, and dreary".

"Yeah, that's the drawback. We could also move to Hawaii. Ocean, sunshine, relaxation all the time".

"Yeah, but we would get bored, darling. Every time we've vacationed there, we've cut our trip short".

They chatted till she fell asleep.

Jonathan laid there, staring at the clock till it was time to get ready.

He eased out from under Jennifer's arms, and gently laid her on the bed.

He took Freeway to the back porch and gave him a few treats and then went back to the bedroom.

He quickly dressed and then quietly grabbed a few weapons from the safe, and tiptoed out. Jack and Bill were waiting for him in the kitchen.

He turned to Jack.

"If something happens, put her in the truck and drive her to wherever you have to. I'd rather her be safe with you elsewhere than unsafe here".

"Got it".

He turned back to Bill.

"Ok, let's do this".


	10. Chapter 10

Jonathan, Bill, and the other ranch hands quietly met in the parking lot behind the abandoned school.

Everyone was wearing all black, and had flash lights, and guns and bullets.

"Ok, everyone. Rich here is the leader. We are going to stay behind him, and then fan out when we get to the bunk house. I will go into the bunkhouse first then. Remember, quiet is the idea. We are sneaking up on them, so try not to be too loud".

They all nodded.

"Ok, let's go".

***Jennifer***

Jennifer rolled over and snuggled closer to Jonathan.

Finding his side of the bed empty, she got up and drained her water glass and then went to refill it.

The bathroom light wasn't on, and neither was the kitchen light.

She crept through the living room and into the kitchen and turned on the light.

After she refilled her water glass, she left the light above the oven on, and came back through the living room.

She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Jack on the sofa.

"Jack…is that you?"

"Yes".

"Why are you sleeping in here?"

"No reason, really".

She reached over and turned on the light.

"Out with it. Where is my husband?"

"Well…"

"Jack. Where is Jonathan?"

"Out".

"Out where?"

"Out…on an important errand".

Before she could question him any further, the phone rang.

She reached over and got it.

"Hello?"

"Mrs. Hart, hi. It's me, Stanley. I'm sorry to call so late, but I've been investigating the sheriff like you asked me to, and I found out something very interesting that I think you really need to know".

"Go ahead, Stanley".

She listened as he told her everything he had found out, and went over to her desk to write some of it down.

"Well, that is very interesting. Can you do me a favor? Can you print those documents, and overnight them to us here at the ranch? I'll make sure Jonathan pays you handsomely for this. Thank you, Stanley. I really appreciate it".

She hung up and looked at Jack.

"You have exactly ten seconds to tell me what Jonathan is up to and where he is, or else you will see why my father used to call me the Redheaded Siren when I was angry!"

"Ok, ok. He and Bill and the ranch hands are sneaking into the bunkhouse at the Gregory's to pay them back for shooting at you yesterday".

"I'm going to get dressed. And then you are taking me to Jonathan."

"That's not a good idea".

"I'm not going to sit by and let him get himself killed. Now get dressed, because we are leaving here in about 2 minutes".

"Yes ma'am".

***Jonathan***

Jonathan and Bill were leading the pack to the bunkhouse.

Everyone quietly crept towards the bunkhouse, making sure to not make a sound.

They surrounded the bunkhouse, and looked inside a window.

8 guys, all in bunks, asleep. One front door, one back door.

Jonathan gave the signals, and 5 went one way and 4 went another.

Jonathan quietly picked the lock, and opened the door and ushered everyone inside, while Bill went and opened the back door.

Once everyone was inside, they each stood by a bunk, aiming their weapons at one person.

When everyone was ready, Jonathan flipped the light on.

"Freeze! Nobody move!".

Everyone started looking around, taking it all in.

"Each of you, has one of us with a gun pointed at you. We won't hesitate to take you out. Now I'm only going to ask this once. We aren't even going to talk about how all of you trespassed onto my property, because the real question is which one of you miserable low-life sons of bitches shot at my wife? I could care less about the rest of you, I just want the one who aimed a gun at my wife and pulled the trigger. Which one?"

***Jennifer***

Jennifer and Jack took the ATV through the woods, and straight up to the bunkhouse.

She hopped off and went to the front door.

"Mrs. Hart, they all have weapons in there. You might want to go in easy".

She nodded.

"….which one of you miserable low life sons of bitches shot at my wife?"

Jennifer opened the door and stood behind Jonathan.

She and everyone else watched as the ranch hands pointed to the ringleader.

"Bill, get everyone but this one here, over to the other side of the room".

"You heard him. On the double".

Jonathan pointed the rifle he was carrying at the ranch hand.

"What's your name?"

"Pete".

"You have 5 seconds to tell me why you shot at my wife".

"We were told to do whatever we had to do in order to get you to sell. We thought if your wife died here, you wouldn't want to come back and would agree to sell. So, we watched her for a few days, and figured out that she loved to ride horses in the morning, and just waited for her to ride again, basically".

"Well, I'm sorry to say, your little plan backfired. And the only one who's going to die around here is you".

Jonathan lifted the rifle and pointed it at his head.

Jennifer stepped forward and grabbed Jonathan's arm.

"Darling, don't! Not for his sake, but for yours".

He thought about it for a moment.

"You're right. He's not worth killing".

Jonathan turned to Bill.

"Ok, let's lead them out".

"You heard him gentlemen. Put your boots on, and then we are all going to take a walk".

Bill came over and put a handcuff on one of Pete's wrists, and then slapped the other one on his own.

Jonathan handed his rifle to Jack, and then embraced Jennifer.

"I know you're probably mad at me, but I swear I was only trying to protect you and figure out why you were the target".

"I'm not mad. I was too scared to be mad, but now I'm just so glad you're all right. And Stanley called. I think you need to hear what he had to say, because I think it will fill in some major missing pieces of the puzzle for us".

They walked back to their ranch, and Jennifer filled him in as they walked.

He agreed with her that it was important information.

They came back to their house and found Bill and Jack with the others in the garage.

"Ya'll stay put. I'm going to go give our friend, the sheriff a call".

***A few hours later***

Jennifer and Jonathan and Freeway were finally crawling into bed. Jack and Bill had just gone back to the loft. The sheriff had sent some deputies, who reviewed the footage, and arrested the ranch hands and charged all of them with trespassing and some of them with attempted murder. Pete was charged with first-degree attempted murder along with trespassing and conspiracy.

As they climbed into bed, Jonathan stretched out alongside Jennifer.

"Darling, why didn't you bring up the information that you told me earlier?"

"Because. He works for the sheriff and that information in the wrong hands could work against us. I'm thinking we need to take this information to someone a little higher up the ladder".

***The Next Morning***

Jennifer and Jonathan and Bill and Jack were having coffee on the back porch when they heard a knock at the door.

Jonathan went to get it.

He came back a few minutes later with the deputy from the night before.

"Hi folks. Sorry to bother you. Just wanted to let you know this morning I got a phone call from Holt Gregory. He's furious that you 4 trespassed on his property and his ranch hands were arrested because of it. So, I came out and met with him, and he asked me to come arrest all of you. And I was going to, but I read the reports first. And I explained to him that all of his ranch hands stated that they were following his orders. And they admitted to trespassing on your property and shooting at Mrs. Hart, here. So, I told him all of that, and he backed down a little bit, and he finally said that if you all drop the charges against his workers, he will see to it that they are never over here again".

"Not happening. They shot at my wife, and it wasn't a spur of the moment thing, either. They planned it out. They watched her, and they waited and then they deliberately tried to kill her. I'm not dropping any charges at all".

"Mrs. Hart, how would you feel about-"

"I stand with my husband on this, deputy."

"Very well. So, from here on out, the DA will take over the case, and you'll be notified about a trial".

"Thank you".

Jonathan saw him out, and then came back to the porch.

"Ok, so today, I think I want to use the Techtrons, and see if there are any areas of the property that we need to seal off."

"Good idea".

Jennifer stayed inside and finished her article, while the men went outside and checked the property.

By the time they came back, they were covered in dirt from head to toe.

"What did you three get into?"  
"We dug the holes for the pipes, to make sure the river will always flow, no matter what. And we spread about 100 pounds of fresh manure along the property line, to reinforce the bottom of the fence, and we took the ladder from the treehouse that was on the other side of the property line and permanently attached it to our side of the property line".

"Well, shower off and get all cleaned up. I made a special dinner for the three of you, and it will be ready as soon as you three are".

"Sounds great".

An hour later, they were all in the kitchen".

"Ok, we have stuffed steaks, and you can all grill them to your liking. I turned on the grill and got it going. We also have fresh roasted vegetables, orange rice with ginger and cranberries, and roasted asparagus, wrapped in bacon. I also made a fresh pitcher of orange sweet tea, and a brand-new raspberry pie for dessert".

"This is wonderful".

"You outdid yourself".

Jack and Bill both kissed her on the cheek.

"Darling, what precipitated all of this?"

"We won the war, darling. And you three defended my honor so nicely, so this is my way of saying thank you".

"What are the steaks stuffed with?"

"Bleu cheese, artichoke hearts, and mushrooms".

They were the thickest steaks Jack and Bill had eaten in a long time.

After a nice dinner, they did the dishes and then the guys played poker, while Jennifer read a magazine.

"Well, I think I'm going to mosey on back home tomorrow. Seems strange going back to my life after all of this".

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Jennifer and I are going to close the house up in a couple of days and then go back to LA".

Jennifer came over and sat in Jonathan's lap.

"Sure has been fun hanging out here with you guys".

"Yeah, we enjoyed your company too. Sorry you had to help us out with the violence and got all caught up in the feud".

"We can't thank either of you enough for dropping everything and just coming out here".

"Our pleasure".

"Don't mention it".

A few minutes later, they decided to go to bed, and turned out all the lights. Jonathan brought two glasses of water with him to the bedroom and set them down. Jennifer got Freeway all settled in his bed.

They climbed into bed and she scooted over towards him.

He wrapped his arms around her as she settled on to his chest.

"Darling, we don't have to rush back to LA, do we?"

"I don't guess so. But aren't you ready to get away from this place for a bit?"

"Yes, but think about it. As soon as we get back to LA and back to our house, you will have to deal with the office, and I will probably start dealing with another article, or a charity function, and we'll have Max and Freeway, and we need time for it to be just us. And that's what we came up here for, but we really didn't get that, because we've been so focused on the property".

"That's a good point. We can stay a few days if you want".

He started kissing her forehead.

"Darling…we can't".

"We were quiet the other night".

"Yeah, but this time is different. And we came here so we wouldn't have to be quiet, remember?"

"Come on, it'll be terrific".

"Darling…we have company in the loft, remember?"

"I remember, I remember".

"As soon as they're gone. And I promise to spend the whole day pampering you".

"It's a deal".

He scratched her head and ran his hand up and down her back.

"I am so thankful that you were taught how to ride like the wind".

"Darling…I'm ok. It was scary for a few minutes, but I'm ok. I'm ok and I'm here with you".

"If I had lost you…."

"Now you realize why I was so scared when you all blew up the bridge and took everyone hostage".

"I know. And we weren't trying to scare you. We were trying to do what was right and protect you and the rest of us".

"I know…but things can go wrong. And you guys didn't leave yourself a lot of room for error. I am not ready for us to go back home to our regular lives, but I'm more than ready for some normalcy again".

"Me too. And until I know that things are absolutely safe where you are concerned, it won't be or feel normal again".

***The Next Morning***

Everyone got up and had a nice breakfast, and then got ready.

"Thanks for coming out, we really appreciate your help".

"Glad to do it."

"Call me in a few days Jonathan, and I'll be waiting at the airport for you".

"You got it".

Jack and Bill loaded up the car and took off for the airport.

Jonathan and Jennifer and Freeway headed back inside.

Jonathan opened the freezer.

"At some point today, we need to go into town and buy a cooler with dry ice, and pack all of this meat in that, so it will stay cold on our flight home".

"Good plan".

She added dry ice and cooler to the list and then headed to the bedroom.

He was right behind her.

It took them mere moments to undress and climb into bed. Jonathan climbed on top of Jennifer as soon as they were settled, and crushed her lips with his.

She gripped his shoulders as he shifted his weight so that he wasn't completely on top of her.

He cupped her breast as his tongue explored her mouth, tasting every bit that he could.

"Mmmm".

"Louder baby".

He pushed every button, hit every spot that he knew would elicit a moan or gasp from her, and ran his hands up and down her body as much as he possibly could. He just wanted to feel her with every part of himself. She wrapped a leg around his as he moved his lips to that spot by her ear, that special spot at the base of her neck, the spot between her breasts. They both took advantage of the fact that nobody else was around to hear them. Their lovemaking was torrid, passionate, intense, and reconnected them in ways they didn't realize they needed.

When they were finished, they did it again, and again once more.

When they were finally sated, they took a short nap and then got up.

They were deciding whether or not to stay another day, or to go back to LA when the phone rang.

Jonathan reached over and picked it up.

"Hello? Hi Stanley".

Jonathan spoke to Stanley for a few minutes while Jennifer went and got them both a cool drink. She climbed back in bed and snuggled up to him again, and then took a sip of her drink.

"Ok thanks Stanley".

He hung up.

"Did he have good news?"

"Yes, he did. I called him this morning and asked him to find me a contact that would allow me to schedule a meeting with the governor."

"And what did he find for you?"

"The governor's personal cell phone number".

"Why am I not surprised?"

"That's Stanley".

"So, I think you and I should get dressed. And then I'm going to call him and ask for a meeting, and I'll even invite him out here if that's what I need to do".

"Darling, that's a bad idea. Think this through. Let's go to him wherever he is".

"You're right. That's the better option".

She went and took a quick shower while he called the governor and then he hopped in behind her as soon as she got out.

They were ready to walk out the door within the hour, and the car was totally packed.

Jennifer climbed into the passenger seat after she locked the door behind them. Jonathan loaded the last bag into the back of the jeep and then climbed into the driver's seat.

She laced her fingers through his.

"Let's do this".


	11. Chapter 11

Jennifer and Jonathan arrived at the airport, and found Jack waiting on them.

Jonathan dropped Jennifer off with Jack and then went and returned the Jeep.

He came back and gave Jack the directions, and then they prepared for takeoff.

"Darling, can we talk about the plan?"

"We are flying to where he is, at a fishing resort. He agreed to talk to us for an hour. And he's going to be joined by a few people".

"Interesting".

She began to organize her papers and her research according to the points they were going to make when they spoke to him.

The flight was short, so they were landing before they were really ready to do so.

Jonathan had arranged for the car service to meet them and take them to the resort.

They pulled up, and then the car stopped.

"Ok, let's do this".

He asked the driver to wait for them, and they got out and headed inside.

The front desk clerk had them sit in the lobby while they contacted the Governor.

"Ma'am, Sir, you can go in now. He's in room 114, down the hall, on the right".

"Thank you".

They walked hand in hand down the hall and knocked on the door.

An aide allowed them inside.

"Hi. I'm Jonathan Hart, and this is my wife Jennifer".

"Come in. He's out on the patio".

They walked back to the patio.

"Hi, you must be the Harts".

"Yes we are. And that makes you the Governor".

"That's right. I'm Governor Kyle Dawkins, and this is my wife Lauren".

"Pleasure to meet you".

"Ok, you asked for a bit of my time. So, what can I do for you?"

"Well, it's not what you can do for us, it's what should be done for the state".

"I'm afraid I don't follow".

"There's a man in a little town known as MillTown Bay, named Holt Gregory. And he's a real estate agent, and he contacted us 5 times, offering to buy our ranch. Our ranch is next to his. We said no, each time. Then, we decided to spend a month there, because we don't really get to be there as often as we'd like. And what we found was that he was having his ranch hands mess with our property lines, claim parts of our property, and they basically made our lives a living hell for a few weeks trying to get us to give up and sell. Meanwhile, they were buying all the properties that bordered their property".

"What do you mean when you say they made your lives a living hell?"

"I mean, it was always something. First, they had some friends bring a welcome plant, that had a microphone in it. They moved our property lines by planting trees closer in, and they blocked the water from flowing in the river once it went past their property; they don't own the river and neither do we, but our property borders it like their property does. Yet, they filled the water with cement and made a dam to keep the water on their side. They stole our horse feed and hay. They trespassed onto our property, and shot a bullet through our living room, almost hitting us. My wife went into town and on the way home, she was almost run off the road by a vehicle. My wife was riding one of our horses on our property, and they came out of the shadows and shot at her. Each time, we called the sheriff, and each time he came out, he would take a report and that's where it stopped. So, when my wife got shot at, I took matters into my own hands. And she did some digging and found out something very interesting".

"What was that?"

"Well, for starters, the Sheriff and Holt Gregory are working together. He's buying up all the property because he wants to take advantage of the lower tax rate. He buys the property, sells off the equipment, and the Sheriff is letting him do it in return for a cut of the money. And I also found that in a few instances when the property owner didn't want to sell, he produced documents with their signature on them. How convenient that Holt Gregory's wife has a sorority sister who just so happens to work at City Hall in the records department".

"Well now how did he get those?"

"Unless he forged them, I can't think of a way".

She handed him some documents to review.

"And there is one more part you should be aware of".

"What's that?"

"As it turns out, the person who brought us the plant, was a former aide of yours."

She slid a picture of them across the table.

"Well, I'll be".

"Yeah, it's quite a mess".

"So, based on what you told me and based on what you have presented to me, I need to call in the FBI and have them arrest the sheriff, arrest Holt Gregory, and the aide, plus all the wives. And I need to have the legislators rewrite the tax laws".

"That would be good".

"Mr. Hart, you mentioned that you took matters into your own hands after they shot at your wife. Do I want to know what that's about?"

"Probably not. But I will say that it involved me bringing the ranch hands at the Gregory farm to my farm, for a conversation, and it ended with us agreeing to not press charges, save for the ranch hand who shot at my wife. The rest of them received a citation for trespassing from the Sheriff".

"Governor, there's more. There is someone else who is in on the scheme. This person agreed to close the elementary school in town, and to let Holt Gregory have access of that property as well. That person is Senator Randall Cox".

She slid a picture of them across the table to him.

"That's them at his re-election party last year. And here's the document where he ordered it to happen".

"Ma'am, did you investigate all of this yourself?"

"I had some help with one of my husband's executives, but for the most part, yes, it was all my doing".

"You're a mighty fine investigator. Play your cards and you could be working for me".

"I'm a journalist, first and foremost. But I appreciate the compliment".

"Well, it looks as if I need to make a call to the FBI. If my hunch is right, this is going to trickle down into other departments as well".

"I'm sure it will".

Jonathan pulled a business card out of his pocket.

"Here is our home phone number, our home address, and my office number, if the FBI wants to reach us".

"I'll pass it along. One more question, if I may. Why did you two feel like you needed to bring this to my attention?"

"Well, we hate to see injustice. And we hate to see innocent people get hurt and these people have swindled people out of their land and their homes, through intimidation and fear. Plus, imagine if the person who shot through our window had been a legitimate intruder and not one of their ranch hands, nothing would have been done about it because the Sheriff was always tied up with the Gregory's. If he wasn't at our place asking us about what they alleged against us, he was hanging out with them. The town needs a new sheriff, a new regime, and the people deserve to get their land and their houses back".

"That's a good point. Well, thank you for bringing this to my attention. You have my word that I will call the FBI this afternoon and get them on this".

"Thank you, we appreciate your time".

They all shook hands and then Jonathan and Jennifer headed out.

They walked hand in hand back to the car, and climbed in.

"Ok, back to the airport, please".

***Willow Pond***

Max picked them up at the airport and drove them home.

"So how are things at the ranch?"

"Good, for now. We had a bit of a mess, but we handled it".

Freeway kept moving from the backseat with Jennifer to the front seat next to Max.

"Max, I think someone missed you".

"I missed all you guys".

"We missed you too, Max".

"I stopped by the market and got all the stuff to make a special meal for you two tonight. How does grilled chicken a la Max sound?"

"Oh that sounds wonderful! We haven't had that in ages".

Freeway let out a rather enthusiastic bark.

"Aww, even Freeway is excited about Max's home cooking".

They pulled up to Willow Pond, and unloaded the car.

Jonathan carried their bags upstairs while Jennifer took the cooler and put all the meat in the freezer.

Max carried in the groceries and began to get dinner going.

Jonathan walked out and got the mail and was absolutely not surprised to come in and hear the click-clack of Jennifer's computer keys when he came back inside the house.

He sat down on the couch and turned on the afternoon news as he began to leaf through the mail.

_Breaking news: the FBI has descended on an entire town and has basically taken every official into custody. Arrested so far, is real estate mogul Holt Gregory, Holt's wife Amanda Casey Gregory, 25 ranch hands who worked on the Gregory's ranch, Sheriff McDougal, two deputies in the Sheriff's department, as well as two employees in City Hall in the records department, and Senator Randall Cox. And the charges are daunting-real estate fraud, tax fraud, forgery, money laundering, intimidation, multiple counts of trespassing, threatening bodily harm, and wire fraud. At last count, a whopping 34 people have been taken into custody. Officials aren't saying why they made the arrests, only that the Governor contacted the FBI today and ordered them to move quickly. We will keep investigating this, until we get to the bottom of it. More to come on this tonight, at 6". _

"Jennifer-you need to come see this".

She came out of the study and put her hand on his shoulder as she stood behind him.

"Wow, the governor sure moved fast".

He reached up and laced his fingers through hers.

"Yeah, he did".

"Well, at least we know he listened to us and took us seriously".

She scratched his neck a little bit.

"This investigation is probably just beginning".

"Yeah, I think you're right. I'm sure there will be so much more uncovered".

Jennifer disappeared back into the study for a bit, and resumed typing. Jonathan sorted through all of the mail and then called Stanley for an update.

"Ok, I'll be in the office tomorrow. And Stanley, you've earned a long vacation-I insist. See you tomorrow".

Jennifer stopped writing long enough to have dinner and a cocktail with Jonathan, and then got back at it.

She finally stopped for good around 10, and came to bed just as he was changing into his pajamas.

"Get it all finished?"

"Almost. I've gotten the gist of it down, just have to make tweaks tomorrow".

She changed into a nightgown and then climbed into bed next to him.

"I'm sorry, darling. I just wanted to get the story down before I lost the essence of it".

"It's ok, I understand. I had a long talk with Stanley and he filled me in on how things have been going at the office".

"Oh? Are you going back to the office tomorrow?"

"Yes, I am. I told him he deserved a long vacation".

"I agree with that".

"And as soon as he comes back, you and I are going to take our long-awaited anniversary trip".

"Again?! Not on your life".

"I promise, to take you somewhere nice, quiet, relaxing, and beautiful, without any neighbors".

"That part is mandatory".

She snuggled up to his chest and threw a leg over his.

"You know, we've had a lot of anniversaries. But this is probably the wildest one so far".

"I agree. Which is why I want us to go somewhere relaxing".

"You know darling, if I didn't know better, I would think Max missed Freeway more than he missed us".

"Can you blame him? He's a damn good dog".

"Yes, he is".

He lightly scratched her back till she fell asleep in his arms.

"Goodnight, I love you".

***The Next Day***

Jennifer was at home, working on her article again, putting on the finishing touches and making her final edits.

Max popped his head in the study.

"Mrs. H., you got this delivery and there's a phone call for you".

"Ok, thanks Max".

He set a large bouquet of flowers down on the desk, as she picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Jennifer, hi, it's Marcia. Listen, I read the teaser that you sent over and it's magnificent. And I've already gotten a few offers on the piece".

"Wonderful! I'll be completely finished with it and will send it to you within an hour".

"Perfect! I'll be waiting".

They hung up, and she immediately dug for the card.

_For the past 14 years I've tried my damnedest to give you the best life possible and make you blissfully happy, and it turns out you did the same thing for me all along. I love you more with every passing second. Happy Anniversary, darling. Love-Jonathan_.

She teared up at the sentiment and smelled her flowers for a few minutes.

She picked up the phone and made a few phone calls, and then got back to work.

***Later that Afternoon***

Jonathan arrived home around 5 p.m., with a few presents in his hand for Jennifer.

He looked for her in the study, but she wasn't there.

He headed to the kitchen, and found a note from Max.

_Headed to poker. See you two tomorrow_.

He headed upstairs and found a note on the bed from Jennifer.

_Put on your tux, and be quick, because the car service will be picking you up at 6. I love you-Me. _

He put his tux on, and then went downstairs and made himself a cocktail while he waited for the car service.

The car service showed up right on time, and he climbed in the backseat hoping to see Jennifer.

Instead he found a note.

_Darling, you're almost there. Lay back and enjoy the ride. I love you! Me_

He relaxed a little bit, and tried to enjoy the ride.

When the car service stopped at his destination, he emerged from the car, and found the driver waiting to hand him something.

"This will tell you everything you need to know".

"Thank you".

He opened the letter.

_Meet me in the steakhouse in this hotel. I love you! Me_

He walked inside and found his way to the steakhouse and saw her sitting there, waiting on him.

"Hi gorgeous".

"Hi handsome".

She stood up and kissed him.

"What's this all about?"

"Darling, you always plan the most romantic escapades for us, so this time, it's my turn."

She kissed him again and then sat down.

"So, what do you have planned?"

"One thing at a time, Mr. Hart. Up first, is dinner and drinks".

He grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it.

Jennifer had put on one of his favorite dresses, a blue and black lace, form-fitting off the shoulder knee-length dress, with the stockings that drove him wild, the ones with the black line up the back of the legs, and her black stiletto Jimmy Choo's. She was absolutely breathtaking.

The waitress brought their cocktails and the first course, and a few moments later, the band started to play.

Jennifer and Jonathan shared a few dances, and then had a very romantic dinner.

When it was over, Jennifer paid the check, and then they headed out.

"Did you drive here?"

"Yes, but we aren't driving home, just yet".

She took his hand and led him to the elevator and then waved their room key in front of the pad.

The elevator stopped at the 14th floor, so she led him down the hallway towards their room.

They went inside room 1424.

There were candles lit all around, and rose petals spread on the bed in the shape of a heart. They also had a bottle of champagne chilling in an ice bucket in the corner.

"When did you do all this?"

"Before dinner".

She leaned up and kissed him, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You and I are spending the night here, sailor. And we have it for most of the day tomorrow".

"I love this".

"Great! Now look-I packed you a bag with everything you'll need for tonight. So, pop the cork on the champagne and get comfy. I'm going to slip into something more comfortable, but don't worry, I won't be long".

She kissed him a few times and then headed into the bathroom.

Jonathan began to look around their suite. King-sized bed, medium-sized sitting area, and a seemingly nice-sized bathroom.

"Mr. Hart, are you changed yet?"

"Working on it, Mrs. Hart".

He took his tux off and put on the pajama pants she had packed for him.

He popped the cork on the champagne, and poured them each a glass.

Jennifer came out of the bathroom in his favorite blue nightgown, and climbed into bed next to him.

He dropped a strawberry in her champagne glass, and then stared into her eyes.

"To the happiest 14 years of my life with the most beautiful woman in the universe. I love you, happy anniversary".

"I love you too, and you've made the last 14 years of my life pretty great too. Happy anniversary".

They clinked glasses, shared a few kisses and then took a few sips.

"You have some presents to open".

"So do you".

They decided to open their first gifts at the same time.

As soon as they both realized what it was, they started laughing.

"You mean, we….each planned a trip….to the same place….the same week?"

"Yeah, I think we did".

"Happy Anniversary, Mr. Hart".

"Happy Anniversary Mrs. Hart".

As soon as they calmed down, they shared a few more kisses, which was just the beginning of their romantic evening.

And they lived happily ever after…..


End file.
